Defense
James Comey Defends the Bureau's Position in Its Battle With Apple
The bureau’s director says the litigation with the tech company isn’t about trying to set a precedent, but about justice for the victims of the San Bernardino attack.
Oversight
Play of the Day: How is Hillary Clinton So Bad at This?
Stephen Colbert wonders why the Democratic frontrunner so botched her interview with Scott Pelley.
Management
Transforming Federal Financial Reporting and Auditing
A former comptroller suggests 10 reforms that would produce more meaningful data.
Route Fifty
Governors, County Leaders Gather in D.C. for 2016 Winter Meetings
Among the topics being discussed at the National Governors Association and National Association of Counties meetings: Opioid abuse, rural poverty and fiscal challenges, among many others.
Nextgov
Hackers Hate on Health Care: Delaying Meals, Holding a Hospital Hostage, Stealing Brain Patient IDs and Exposing Battered Women
Just another week in ThreatWatch, our regularly updated index of noteworthy data breaches.
Employee Policy
NASA: Record numbers apply to become astronauts
These are not the easiest times for the image of federal agencies—with agency recruiters squeezed by well-publicized federal budget troubles, the sequester and routine shutdown threats — one federal agency is bucking the trend.
Route Fifty
Economists Tell Governors That a Recession Is on the Horizon
It probably won’t happen this year but the “next recession is probably closer than the last one,” one expert said during the National Governors Association’s winter meeting.
Tech
Why the IRS Was Just Hacked – Again – and What the Feds Can Do About It
Federal networks need stronger cybersecurity measures than most organizations, but have not yet gotten the budget or staffing commitments that would protect them properly.
Management
Flint and the Case for Open Government
The paternalistic approach to government has run its course.
Tech
Could FDA E-Cigarette Regulations Help People Quit Smoking?
Officials could give the FDA authority to develop more e-cigarette rules.
Tech
What the First Presidential Campaign Websites Looked Like
The site made for Bob Dole’s 1996 presidential run is a little jewel in Internet history.
Tech
NASA’s New Telescope Will Have a View 100 Times Bigger Than Hubble’s
Are we alone in the universe? What is dark energy? The WFIRST telescope aims to answer both of these questions.
Pay & Benefits
Cutting Federal Pay 40 Percent, Eliminating Government Unions and More From the Campaign Trail
Presidential candidates discuss ways to hold federal employees more accountable.
Nextgov
White House Wants to Train K-12 Students to Be Nation’s Future Cyber Defense
The White House’s $4 billion plan for computer science curriculum in K-12 schools is about more than education reform.
Nextgov
IRS Phishing Scams Up 400 Percent, Agency Warns
As of mid-February, the IRS has already experienced 1,389 incidents.
Insights
FITARA: The Path Forward
Enacted in December 2014, the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) introduced several measures designed to streamline federal IT acquisition and empower technology leaders in government. To explore FITARA's potential impact, GBC recently conducted a survey of 472 federal leaders across more than 30 defense and civilian agencies.
Management
Hidden In the Partisan Budget Divide: An Agreement on Evidence-Based Policy
So far, much of this has flown below the radar.
Pay & Benefits
Civilians Working in Overseas Hot Spots Eligible for Higher Premium Pay in 2016
Eligible employees can earn up to $237,700 in basic and premium pay through this year.
Nextgov
Head of DHS' Emergency Cyber Unit Stepping Down
During her three years in office, Ann Barron-DiCamillo, head of the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team, has been a mainstay on Capitol Hill.
Management