Nextgov
Pentagon Amends JEDI Contract, Moves Forward Despite Protest
The Defense Department will continue taking industry questions until Aug. 28.
Nextgov
Forest Service Public-Private Partnership Explores Using Drones for Precision Pesticide Application
The group plans to award a sole-source contract to research whether unmanned aerial systems can spray in hard-to-reach places without disrupting nearby sensitive ecosystems.
Pay & Benefits
Senate Approves Spending Package With Military Pay Raise, No Labor Dept. Pay Freeze
An amendment to freeze the pay of Labor employees was not offered on the floor.
Defense
Analysis: The War In Afghanistan Isn’t a Hopeless Stalemate
A strategy to shut down Taliban safe havens in Pakistan could bring the war to an end.
Defense
Trump’s Untested Authority to Revoke Security Clearances
Can the president restrict a person’s access to classified material for any reason he wants? It may take a lawsuit from former CIA Director John Brennan to find out.
Management
Americans Distrusted U.S. Democracy Long Before Trump’s Russia Problem
Russian meddling has shaken Americans' faith in democracy. But public discontent after a scandal is hardly new. Trust in government began to erode under Nixon, and it's mostly worsened since then.
Management
Are Tattooed Job Applicants Less Likely To Be Hired? Two New Studies Disagree
The studies used very different methodologies.
Management
Paul Manafort and Trump’s Pardon Pattern
As he has with Manafort, President Trump has decried the government’s “unfair” treatment of all three men he has pardoned to date. But will the pattern hold with his former campaign manager?
Route Fifty
IRS Proposal Would Sink States' Tax Deduction Workarounds
The U.S. Treasury Department and IRS released their highly anticipated regulatory proposal on Thursday.
Pay & Benefits
Don’t Overestimate Your Expected Income
You’ll need to do some homework to be confident in your plan.
Oversight
Senator Wants Update on FEMA Contracts Ahead of Hurricane Season
The agency has come under increased scrutiny over noncompetitive awards in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.
Management
There Are Three Types Of Failure, But Only One You Should Actually Feel Bad About
According to a Harvard Business School professor, the most common type of failure is also the one to feel "meh" about.
Nextgov
DC Airport First In Nation to Catch Suspected Imposter Using Facial Biometrics
After three days of operation, Washington Dulles International Airport’s biometric cameras identified a man allegedly attempting to use someone else’s passport to enter the U.S.
Management
The Audacious Idea to Arm Teachers Using Federal Dollars
Congress has repeatedly made clear its position against doing so, but new reports say Trump’s Education Department is considering allowing states to use grants to purchase firearms for school districts.
Route Fifty
Ratings Agency Finds Evidence Wildfires Aren’t Devastating Local Government Finances
Tax bases and unemployment figures appear to be holding strong against the blazes.
Oversight
Watchdog: Pruitt Appearance in Trade Association Video Didn't Break Any Rules
Then-EPA administrator’s interview about clean water rules was within the purview of official duties, GAO finds.
Oversight
Consumer Bureau Nominee Narrowly Clears Divided Senate Panel
Kraninger squeaks by as Democrats say she lacks relevant experience and won’t think independently.
Defense
Trump’s Afghanistan War Plan Is Working Despite Recent Attacks, Outgoing Commander Says
Facing renewed criticism, Gen. John Nicholson said the president’s year-old South Asia strategy was bringing Afghanistan closer to peace.
Route Fifty
Skepticism After Texas Governor’s Surprising Six-Figure Salary Remarks
STATE AND LOCAL ROUNDUP | San Francisco mayor’s surprise inspections … Oklahoma’s emergency certifications … and St. Paul vs. emerald ash borers.
Route Fifty