Management
Data Is Valuable Only If Managers and Policymakers Will Use It
There’s plenty of evidence about how well programs work, people just tend to ignore it.
Route Fifty
Dear State and Local Gov: FCC Chair Ajit Pai Is Just Not That Into You
Pai even blew up an intergovernmental advisory committee after members asked to talk to him about its future.
Management
Consumer Protection Bureau Won't Be 'Pushing the Envelope' Anymore
Acting director Mulvaney reassures CFPB employees he doesn’t intend to shut the agency down, but recasts its mission.
Oversight
Temporary Spending Bill Relieves Intel Agencies From Oversight
Senate Intelligence panel leaders warned against the House-backed provision.
Defense
Trump's Red Line on North Korea Gets Fuzzier
Mike Pompeo adds a few caveats to America's strategy.
Oversight
How Democrats Stopped Worrying and Learned to Accept Trump's Wall
Sen. Chuck Schumer’s offer to fund the border wall as part of a deal on DACA reflects a shift in Democratic priorities on immigration that has been months in the making.
Management
How Agency Leaders Can Seize the Opportunity to Reorganize Government
The Office of Management and Budget soon will begin tracking progress on President Trump’s executive order to reorganize the executive branch.
Oversight
Justice Inspector General Goes to Work to Locate Disputed FBI Text Messages
Lawmakers trade partisan interpretations of whether missing files could show anti-Trump bias.
Management
Yet Another Stopgap Funding Bill Likely in February, Lawmakers Say
It would mark the fifth continuing resolution of fiscal 2018.
Route Fifty
The Leading Challenge Many U.S. Mayors Say Their Cities Are Facing
Based on the latest Menino Survey of Mayors, it’s “not just a coastal problem, but a problem everywhere.”
Nextgov
DHS Inoculating Labs Against Hacks That Could Release Dangerous Diseases
The department is developing ways to secure federal research facilities from cyberattacks on their internet-connected controls.
Nextgov
Trump Year Two Starts with Major Tech and Cyber Vacancies
Roughly one-quarter of agency CIOs and one-third of CISOs are serving on an acting basis one year into the Trump administration.
Management
We Need A Plan for Federal Communications
Trust in government is at an all-time low. Poor communication is one reason.
Nextgov
Vendors Can Still Weigh in GAO’s 5-Year Tech Contract
The oversight office extended the deadline for industry to give advice on its coming modernization contract.
Management
Why the Shutdown Didn’t Much Affect Defense Firms
Timing is everything. Three days — including a weekend — is not quite enough to cause production problems that really hurt.
Management
To Better Focus on a New Task, Try This Plan
When one item on your to-do list interrupts another before you can finish, this plan can keep you focused.
Route Fifty
A Breakdown of the Leaked Trump Infrastructure Plan
The 6-page document, published by Axios and Politico, shows what may be taking shape as the White House looks to formally release its proposal.
Nextgov
Massive Reduction in FBI Cyber Crime Takedowns Was Result of Definition Change
Stricter guidelines on what counts as a disruption or dismantlement led to a 10X reduction.
Management
How the Government Shutdown Disrupted SpaceX's Plans
The government shutdown shows just how much budget fights in Washington could derail Elon Musk’s rocket ambitions.
Pay & Benefits