Route Fifty
ACLU Lawsuit: Trump’s Election Integrity Commission Violated Federal Law
“This process is cloaked in secrecy, raising serious concerns about its credibility and intent,” according to Theresa Lee, ACLU Voting Rights Project staff attorney.
Management
Lawmakers Aim to Restrict Use of Lowest-Price Contracts
Bipartisan bill would extend Pentagon rules to civilian agencies.
Management
Government Warms to Continuous Monitoring of Personnel With Clearances
Software that scours public records for potential red flags gains traction as officials wrestle with a serious security clearance backlog.
Management
The Three Words That Make Brainstorming Sessions At Google, Facebook, and IDEO More Productive
"The beauty of the phrase is that it eliminates fear and stress."
Defense
As Trump and Putin Met, US and UK Defense Chiefs Discussed Ways to Deter Russia
While one part of Trump’s executive branch looks to improve relations with Moscow, another prepares for the worst.
Defense
Spooked by North Korea, Lawmakers Resurrect an Old Missile-Defense Idea
Technical experts say space-based interceptors haven’t gotten any more practical since the Reagan era, but House lawmakers still want the Pentagon to plan for them.
Management
The Right Thing Is Also the Hard Thing in Federal Contracting
Federal service contracts emphasize delivering inputs over mission outcomes. That needs to change.
Route Fifty
25 Boats Full of Angry Walleye Protesters Surround Minnesota Governor During Lake Outing
Also in our State and Local Weekend News Digest: Large swath of Los Angeles loses power; Dallas pension debacle finger-pointing; and Spokane’s ozone pollution problem.
Management
The Playbook for Privatizing Air Traffic Control Already Exists
Policymakers and the FAA should look closely at lessons from the agency’s last big privatization push.
Management
Appointee Watch: Trump Announces Picks for Justice, State and Other Agencies
The administration has tapped Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald to become CDC director.
Nextgov
DOD Won’t Automatically Encrypt External Emails Until 2018
Making the protection automatic would conflict with other protections against malware attacks.
Management
Smart Employers Don’t Let Job Applications Disappear Into a Black Hole
Ignoring candidates can damage an organization's reputation.
Management
U.S. Fears Dispute Over Qatar Will Intensify
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will fly to Kuwait next week to meet with officials mediating the talks.
Management
The Strange, High-Pressure Work of Presidential Interpreters
The staff who help bridge the language gap in meetings like Friday’s Trump-Putin summit serve as confidants, fact-checkers, and de facto diplomats.
Management
VA Becomes the First Federal Agency to Publicly Post All Major Disciplinary Actions
Initial report shows Trump’s VA is firing significantly fewer employees than the Obama administration.
Management
How Homeland Security Spent Millions on a Nonexistent Service
The IG found that the department botched a software purchase in "a textbook definition of waste.”
Route Fifty
Agile Delivery Is Crucial to Digital Government
State CIOs are excited to adopt iterative approaches to developing tech. Can government tear away from the big IT project?
Management
Why Innovation Programs Should Target Middle-Aged Bureaucrats
Data show that the average age of the most successful innovators is somewhere in the mid-40s.
Nextgov
FAA Offers Registration Refund for Drone Pilots
It's a bird, it's a plane, it's an unregistered drone!
Management