Nextgov

This One Rule Informs All of Veterans Affairs' Customer Service Decisions

Bells and whistles are great, but they don't matter if they aren't helping customers, Veterans Affairs Department's Lynda Davis said.

Management

House Democrats Go to Court for Trump Hotel Documents

GSA is accused of stonewalling congressional overseers after Trump’s arrival.

Management

House Panel Approves Bill Doubling Feds’ Probationary Period

Democrats object to provision they say would reduce due process rights for employees.

Pay & Benefits

House Panel Backs Two-Year 'Cooling-Off Period' for Appointees Looking to Burrow In

Republicans have harped on the issue despite infrequent use of political to career conversions.

Management

Ex-Diplomats Balk at Trump’s Nominee to Lead Foreign Service

Choice of Indiana economic planner Akard would alter past requirement for senior State Dept. experience.

Pay & Benefits

Are You Ready to Retire? A Self-Assessment

Use this online tool to find out where you stand in the planning process.

Oversight

The Strange Case of Paul Manafort’s Multiple U.S. Passports

According to court documents, the president’s former campaign manager held three passports and had applied for 10 over the last decade.

Route Fifty

House GOP Firm on SALT Rollback in Tax Bill, Despite State, Local Protests

Republican lawmakers on Thursday introduced their sweeping proposal to rewrite the U.S. tax code.

Management

The Shadow Government Working to Save Obamacare From Collapse

With the Trump administration refusing to promote open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act, a cadre of former Obama officials steps in to fill the void—with an assist from the ex-president himself.

Oversight

NASA Has Found Another 20 Promising Planets For Humans to Colonize

One of these new planets is ripe for an "Interstellar"-style space mission.

Management

The Houston Astros Proved the Power of Long-Term Thinking

The worst team in baseball had a plan.

Oversight

Play of the Day: Donald Trump's Penchant For Branding

The Cut Cut Cut Act is a marketing victory for the GOP.

Nextgov

Three-Star General Wants Artificial Intelligence in Every New Weapon System

The department's Project Maven uses machine learning to go through drone video feeds but that's just the beginning, Air Force Lt. Gen. Jack Shanahan said.

Management

Trump Opposes House-Backed Effort to Reform Emergency Disaster Spending

White House doesn’t want hurricane relief funding to compete with wildfire suppression efforts.

Management

Proponents of Evidence-Based Policy Face a Critical Challenge

Getting people to use the data is essential.

Nextgov

Federal IT Reforms are Freeing Up Funds in an Otherwise Flat Budget Forecast

Obama-era federal IT reforms are starting to have an effect, but there’s a long way to go, analysts say.

Route Fifty

Local Health Officials Decry House Plan to Gut Disease Prevention Fund to Pay for CHIP

The House plan to reauthorize CHIP would cut the Affordable Care Act’s Public Health and Prevention Fund by 75 percent over the next decade.

Defense

Washington Is Never Quite Sure Where It Is at War

The Niger debacle exposed just how little Congress grasps about what U.S. forces are up to around the world.

Defense

Senator to Donald Trump: Americans Deserve to Know the Costs of a North Korea Conflict

In a letter to the president, Tammy Duckworth cites the lack of debate before she was deployed to Iraq—and insists that it not happen again.

Nextgov

DHS Wants Tech to Scan Your Face as You Drive to Mexico

The department is opting for a faster procurement option for the technology.