Nextgov
House Passes Bill Expanding DHS’ Power to Block Risky Contractors from Government Networks
The move comes after Congress took action in the past year to boot the Russian anti-virus maker Kaspersky Lab and the Chinese telecom firms Huawei and ZTE from federal networks.
Route Fifty
FCC Prepares to Push Forward With Streamlining 5G Deployment
“My guess is they just ran out of time and patience for the process to play out,” said one local government advocate.
Nextgov
NIST’s Next Framework Focuses on Protecting Consumers’ Privacy
The Commerce Department agency will begin gathering feedback for a privacy framework at a Texas conference in October.
Route Fifty
Maryland County Makes Condoms Available at Certain High Schools
The decision was sparked by rising rates of sexually transmitted infections in the county.
Pay & Benefits
Trump Appears to Waver on Pay Freeze
House puts off formally beginning negotiations with the Senate on a spending package that could contain a raise for federal workers.
Management
Analysis: Bob Woodward's New Book Shows How Broken the Trump Administration Really Is
The revelations indicate a depth of disgust and disrespect between the president and his top aides far more extensive than already known.
Management
EPA Doubled Spending on Administrator's Security Without Justification, IG Finds
The agency never identified any threats against former chief Scott Pruitt.
Management
Trump Names 28-Year Career Employee to Run Park Service
Raymond Vela earns mixed reviews from advocacy groups.
Pay & Benefits
Most TSP Funds Grow Modestly in August
The international stocks in the I Fund fell once again last month, dipping further into the red.
Management
Who is Accountable for Agency Performance?
Performance management is best seen as a puzzle—one the government hasn’t yet been able to put together.
Oversight
Nuclear Safety Board Slams Energy Department Plan to Weaken Oversight
A new order could be used to withhold information from the board and prevent it from overseeing worker safety at nuclear facilities.
Route Fifty
As Western States Continue to Burn, Fatigued Firefighters Are a Growing Concern
Some have been wearing devices to measure alertness and impairment.
Management
The Upsides to Delegating
All too often a crisis happens before a leader realizes they could have done a better job of sharing responsibility.
Oversight
Homeland Security Lacks Reliable Data on Misconduct at Key Agencies
“More than half of CBP and more than two-thirds of ICE misconduct cases resulted in no action,” watchdog found.
Management
MSPB Highlights Best Practices in Performance Management
Timely feedback, employee autonomy and a sense of purpose all contribute to better performance, morale.
News
Why Trump's Pay Freeze Move Shouldn't Have Surprised Anyone
It sparked outrage, but it wasn't unexpected.
Pay & Benefits
Some Recently Fired VA Employees May Soon Be Reinstated With Back Pay
Arbitrator says VA was in breach of contract in enforcement of its new accountability law.
Management
FEMA Misses Hurricane Damage Reported On Twitter
A new report shows that FEMA estimates failed to capture almost half of the Hurricane Harvey damage reports people provided using social media.
Oversight
Government Under Scrutiny for Overly Generous Overseas Travel Spending
Senators propose a crackdown as a new study finds other nations are more frugal.
Pay & Benefits