Route Fifty
Governors Request More Federal Support for Climate and Emissions Efforts
Expanding resilient infrastructure grants topped their list.
Nextgov
Report: State-Sponsored Hackers Are Getting Better at Hiding Their Identities
Security researchers also warn Iran might be gearing up to target U.S. companies with information warfare.
Nextgov
Lawmakers Push for the State Department to Help Secure Foreign Elections
Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Dan Sullivan resurrected a bill that would allow the agency to share information on election threat with foreign countries.
Pay & Benefits
TSP Proposes New Shutdown Loan Rules, OPM Considers Health Care Portal, and More
A weekly round-up of pay and benefits news.
Defense
Pentagon Behind in Taking Action on Watchdog’s Recommendations
GAO tells lawmakers Defense’s 67 percent rate of acting on auditors’ advice trails the rest of government.
Oversight
Republicans Blast Democrats' Effort to Boost Ethics in Government
Ethics experts says reforms are needed before the "public's trust in government is shattered beyond repair."
Management
Building a Culture of Informed Decision Making
A new law aims to institutionalize an evidence-driven culture in agencies. Implementation won’t be easy.
Management
Grand Canyon National Park Turns 100: How a Place Once Called ‘Valueless’ Became Grand
The Grand Canyon, which marks 100 years as a national park on Feb. 26, 2019, is known today as an iconic natural wonder. But early European visitors weren't impressed.
Defense
Trump Announces Second North Korea Summit in State of the Union
The president stuck to the teleprompter in his 82-minute SOTU speech, the second-longest in history.
Defense
Senior Officials Downplay Trump Plan to Keep Troops In Iraq to ‘Watch Iran’
Some Baghdad watchers say the president’s remarks could imperil the U.S. troop presence in Iraq.
Oversight
Play of the Day: The President's Second State of the Union Gave America Choices
"We must choose between greatness or gridlock, results or resistance, vision or vengeance, incredible progress or pointless destruction."
Defense
Top General in Middle East Says He Wasn’t Consulted on Syria Withdrawal
U.S. Central Command commander Gen. Joseph Votel provided the first public confirmation that the Pentagon was caught by surprise by Trump’s December tweet.
Route Fifty
Candidate Pitches Plan for Chicago to Annex Its Suburbs
STATE AND LOCAL ROUNDUP | Texas now has a measles outbreak … San José mayor interested in Musk tunnel … and a N.C. city suspends drug testing.
Route Fifty
Trump Short on Infrastructure Details in State of the Union
The president said it's time to deal with ‘crumbling infrastructure,’ but delivered no concrete ideas on how to invest.
Management
Trump Calls for Unity but Highlights Divisions That Sparked Shutdown
In his state of the union address, the president praised the work of some federal employees, criticized others for misbehavior.
Route Fifty
Teachers Union Raises Red Flags Over Pension Investments in Private Prisons
The American Federation of Teachers characterizes the corrections sector as problematic territory for retirement funds.
Nextgov
27 Groups Call on Congress to Deny ‘Smart Wall’ Funding
Groups are speaking out against a congressional proposal to up spending on surveillance tech on the border.
Management
Study: Federal Workforce Is on the Verge of Catastrophe
Without a significant overhaul, agencies may fail to provide adequate services when they are needed most, researchers found.
Nextgov
VA’s Health Record Overhaul Could Get Even More Expensive, Officials Say
The agency’s acting deputy secretary called the project’s $16 billion price-tag “an educated guess.”
Oversight