Insights
The Dynamic Threat: Government Tactics Must Evolve to Combat the Insider Threat
Insider threats do not discriminate. From federal government to state and local agencies, no organization that places its personnel in positions of trust is immune to an attack from within.
Oversight
Play of the Day: Trump and Pence Portraits in Post Offices
A bill specifies that the photos need to be placed, but it does not specify the size of the portraits.
Route Fifty
Iowa Soybean Farmers Could Become the Face of a Trade War With China
Already hit by falling agricultural commodity prices, retaliatory tariffs would effectively kick producers while they’re down.
Route Fifty
New Jersey Bill Would Strip Pensions for Workers Convicted of Sexual Offenses
The bill, passed by committee, requires that the offenses be somehow related to an individual’s public employment.
Management
Ebola Returns Just as the White House Loses Its Top Biodefense Expert
The highly respected Tim Ziemer left the National Security Council earlier this week. Here’s who will be taking over his duties.
Pay & Benefits
OPM Retirement Cut Legislative Proposal Draws Bipartisan Opposition
There is little sign that Congress will take up measures that would reduce retirement benefits for federal workers.
Defense
Pentagon Shows Bumpy Progress Toward Curbing Improper Payments
Watchdog hones in on failure to meet four out of six statutory requirements.
Nextgov
Pentagon Orders Fourth Estate Agencies to Move to MilCloud 2.0
A memo from the Pentagon’s chief information officer issues a timeline for some agencies to migrate to the cloud.
Management
USPS Loses $1.3B in Second Quarter, More Than Doubling Its Losses From a Year Ago
The mailing agency's "controllable" business has gone from a nearly $600M profit to a nearly $700M loss in just two years.
Defense
The Perfect Logic Of Holding a U.S.-North Korea Summit In Singapore
Everyone likes Singapore.
Oversight
Play of the Day: Trump Gets Big Ratings at Three in the Morning
The president bragged about his Nielsen numbers while welcoming hostages returning home from North Korea.
Management
Good Managers Understand the Concept of Psychological Safety
If you don’t want to be surprised by bad news, create a climate where people will share information and trust you to respond wisely.
Route Fifty
Tension Bubbles Up Over Water Infrastructure Bill in Senate
The prospect of making changes to federally-backed drinking water and sewer lending programs is proving to be controversial.
Management
Northern Virginia Feds Brace for 2019 Metro Closures
WMATA will cease service to some stations south of D.C. for all of next summer as it rebuilds them.
Management
DHS Needs to Hire More Officers to Stop the Flow of Opioids, Report Finds
Port officers are screening just 0.008 percent of packages for illicit drugs.
Management
State Department Cuts Cleaning Crew Contract, 17 Workers Laid Off
Union publicizes worker hardships as procurement office imposes 30 percent cut.
Management
From Charles Darwin to Arianna Huffington, Influential Thinkers Have Long Obsessed Over Sleep
Stressing about rest is a common concern of the highly accomplished among us.
Defense
Mattis: Leaving the Nuclear Deal Will Help the U.S. Negotiate with Iran
Withdrawal will help the U.S. develop a ‘more compelling’ deal on a range of issues, SecDef told lawmakers.
Nextgov
Bill Would Set 2-Year Deadline for Agencies to Get Digital
The 21st Century IDEA would require agencies to have a digital option for all paper-based forms and in-person interactions.
Pay & Benefits