Management
State Department Special Envoys Are Resurrected Under Pompeo
Predecessor Tillerson had spurned non-confirmed, free-ranging appointees.
Nextgov
VA’s National Cemetery Administration Continues High Customer Satisfaction Scores
The federal agency with the highest customer satisfaction scores continues its high performance, according to new internal survey data.
Management
The FBI Investigation Didn’t Go Very Far By Design
The special background investigation of Brett Kavanaugh involved nine witnesses and bypassed dozens of others named by accusers Christine Blasey Ford and Deborah Ramirez.
Management
Trump Wants Chinese Parts Out of American Weapons
The White House will call for targeted investments in domestic manufacturing in an industrial-base report to be unveiled Friday.
Oversight
Play of the Day: The FBI Investigation of Brett Kavanaugh Is Over
It took less than a week and the FBI interviewed fewer than a dozen people.
Management
Trump Administration Promises to Staff Up Police on Public Lands After Announcing Major Cuts
Decommissioning law enforcement personnel won't lead to job losses, agency says.
Management
Trump Deregulatory Effort May Just Be Getting Started
White House and conservative advocates prepare big plans for 2019.
Route Fifty
Senators, Providers Criticize ‘Unpredictable’ FCC Funding for Rural Broadband
“Cutting [Universal Service Fund] support cuts the legs out of the business case for rural broadband in many places,” said one telecom CEO.
Pay & Benefits
Don’t Believe Everything You Read
Separating fact from fiction in the federal retirement world.
Route Fifty
The Soybean-Producing States at Risk in the Trade War With China
Much of the nation’s exported soybeans went to China last year. Production is concentrated in a handful of states.
Route Fifty
Throwing Shade: Reducing Urban Temperatures by Planting Trees
A Maryland county is planting free trees in urban areas to increase shaded areas and lower temperatures.
Pay & Benefits
Republicans Claim Deal on Federal Pay Raise, But Democrats Object to Terms
The preliminary agreement for a 1.9 percent pay boost runs counter to President Trump's recommendation for a pay freeze and faces Democratic opposition over other policy provisions.
Nextgov
Oracle Continues Protest Push Against JEDI
Another legal maneuver by Oracle just a week before bids for the Pentagon’s $10 billion JEDI cloud contract are due.
Nextgov
Senate Agrees Federal Cybersecurity Office Should Have Name To Match
A long-stalled bill to include “cybersecurity” in the name of the government’s central cybersecurity office is now moving forward.
Management
Why Diversity Is Vital For a Healthy Democracy
The author of a new book says that diversity isn't a threat to democracy, it's a key piece of how democracy keeps itself going.
Tech
The Government Doesn’t Seem To Know Why Some People Didn’t Get Its Presidential Alert
There's work to be done on the government's federal alert system.
Oversight
The Most Scandal-Plagued U.S. Visa Program Lives On Because Congress Is Too Busy To Fix It
The golden visa program just got its 19th extension last week.
Management
After Budget Cuts, the IRS’ Work Against Tax Cheats Is Facing 'Collapse'
Audits and criminal referrals are down sharply since Congress cut the tax agency’s budget and management changed priorities.
Oversight
Play of the Day: More Presidential Alerts Coming To Your Phone
Maybe Trump thinks it's just a text message.
Tech