Oversight
Watchdog Finds Education Department’s Return to Office Plan is Generally Good
The plan largely incorporates recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, White House, and Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Management
Biden Team Says It's Facing 'Pockets of Resistance' in Transition
Officials praise "valiant efforts" of career employees to ensure smooth process.
Route Fifty
The Debate Around Whether College Athletes Should Be Paid is Heating Up
Michigan’s state legislature this week became the sixth state to pass a bill that would open the door for college athletes to get paid for endorsements.
Management
Transition Roundup: Confusion Over Pentagon Briefing Status; IG Council Publishes Transition Guide
Here’s today’s list of news updates and stories you may have missed.
Management
Women Will Shape Biden’s Energy and Climate Agenda
Rep. Deb Haaland would be the first Native American to head the Interior Department and former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm was nominated to run the Energy Department.
Defense
Amid Massive Hack, Lawmakers Urge Trump to Sign Defense Bill with New Cybersecurity Legislation
As the government scrambles to understand the widening compromise, legislation to shore up the nation’s cyber defenses sits unsigned on the President’s desk.
Oversight
GovExec Daily: Revisiting 2020 Election Security
The Alliance for Securing Democracy's David Levine joins the podcast to discuss how elections can be more secure in the wake of the recent presidential contest.
Route Fifty
Atlantic City Auctions Off Right to Push Button on Trump Casino Demolition
STATE AND LOCAL ROUNDUP | Massachusetts contemplates lobster restrictions to save whales … Country music star was paid $1.7 million to perform at Texas governor’s inaugural ball … Kansas mayor resigned after mask threats.
Route Fifty
Teen Vaping Shows Signs of Leveling Off After Sharp Rise
A recent survey of teenagers also found that marijuana use was relatively stable in the early part of this year and that cigarette smoking was at historic lows.
Management
OPM Proposes Prioritizing Job Performance Over Tenure in Layoffs
Officials at the Office of Personnel Management are seeking to finalize a provision of President Trump’s controversial workforce executive orders before he leaves office.
Management
Chemical Safety Board is ‘Withering Away,’ Says Environmental Group
The organization hopes the Biden administration will do more to protect workers and communities with industrial plants, but the agency says it's fully engaged in its mission.
Route Fifty
People Convicted of Crimes as Young Adults May See a Chance at Early Release in D.C.
A veto-proof majority of the D.C. City Council passed a bill to open early release to people convicted of crimes they committed before they were 25, saying they deserve the chance for rehabilitation. Victims’ advocates are skeptical.
Nextgov
House Committees Launch Investigation into Alleged Russian Hack of Federal Agencies
President-elect Joe Biden also promised to elevate cybersecurity “as an imperative” across government.
Pay & Benefits
A Good Time for Some Long Term Thinking
The COVID-19 pandemic provides a sobering reminder of the potential need for long-term care.
Management
With Negotiations Ongoing, Lawmakers Say Yet Another Stopgap Bill ‘Highly Likely’ to Avert Shutdown
Congress is ironing out coronavirus relief funds in conjunction with a government funding package as the Friday deadline looms.
Nextgov
CISA: SolarWinds Is Not the Only Way Hackers Got Into Networks
The agency also warned that getting attackers out of networks will be complex—especially because they are monitoring IT and cybersecurity employees’ emails.
Management
Transition Roundup: GSA Administrator Talks About the Ascertainment Process; Appointee Tracker Relaunches
Here’s today’s list of news updates and stories you may have missed.
Pay & Benefits
Inauguration a Holiday for D.C.-Area Feds, Even Those Teleworking Due to COVID-19
The quadrennial bonus day off will still apply to capital region feds in 2021 even though many are not commuting to the office.
Nextgov
White House Launches Plan for a Nuclear Power System on the Moon
It follows other space-centered proposals from the Trump administration—and might not be the last.
Management