Defense
Trump Approves ‘Defensive’ Deployment to Middle East
The U.S. will increase air and missile defenses from Iran at the request of Saudi Arabia and the UAE, Pentagon leaders said.
Management
Play of the Day: The Secret Service is Buying Jet Skis
The First Family needs protection, even out on the water.
Management
Inside the Trump Administration’s Chaotic Dismantling of the Federal Land Agency
Internal records from the Bureau of Land Management contradict what its chief told Congress about a plan to ship 200 D.C.-based career staff out West. The plan would weaken the agency, which stands between federal lands and oil, gas and mineral companies.
Management
MSPB: There’s a Better Way to do Performance Reviews
Few have faith in a system where 99% of employees are deemed “fully successful” or better.
Management
DHS Is Finally Going After White Supremacists. It’s Not Going to Be Simple.
A new strategy for the first time places a major priority on domestic terrorism, especially of the extreme right. Now the agency has to actually tackle the problem.
Route Fifty
State Law Provides Funding to Clear Rape Kit Backlog
North Carolina will provide $6 million over two years to help clear a backlog of roughly 15,000 untested rape kits.
Oversight
Former VA Union Local Official Sentenced for Embezzlement
A former treasurer of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 331 pleaded guilty in May to stealing more than $80,000 from the union.
Nextgov
IRS Testing Behavioral Analytics to Verify Online Users
The agency is piloting a proof-of-concept that will track how individual taxpayers interact with its online systems.
Nextgov
DHS Wants Industry to Help Improve Pay for Cyber Personnel
By rolling out a “market-sensitive” pay structure and supporting more flexible career paths, the department hopes to make its cybersecurity jobs more appealing.
Route Fifty
Busy Shipping River at a Standstill Until a Broken Barge Lock is Fixed
Thousands of tons of cargo are stuck on barges, as the closure on the Columbia River is expected to last until the end of the month.
Pay & Benefits
Lawmakers Move to Protect Federal Employees' Credit Ratings During Shutdowns
Measures would block shutdown-related credit downgrades and encourage financial institutions to be lenient with federal employees during appropriations lapses.
Management
Government Executive Honors Outstanding Public Servants and Celebrates 50 Years
Inaugural inductees into the Government Hall of Fame and recipients of the Theodore Roosevelt Government Leadership Awards were recognized at a gala on Thursday night.
Route Fifty
A Plan to Spruce Up Vacant Lots to Reduce Gun Violence
A program in Chicago that beautifies abandoned properties is aimed at providing work and reducing crime. But some local residents say more needs to be done to involve people in the neighborhood.
Management
Play of the Day: The President, a Phone Call and a Blown Whistle
An intelligence community whistleblower filed a complaint alleging that Donald Trump offered a "promise" to a foreign leader.
Route Fifty
A 51st State? The District of Columbia Aims for Its Star
Washington, D.C. leaders made their case for statehood at the first U.S. House of Representatives hearing on the issue in 25 years, while Republicans raised concerns about corruption and fiscal stability.
Nextgov
McConnell Voices Support for $250 Million in Election Security Funds
The bill marks “a great step forward,” but states will need more consistent investment to make long-term improvements, according to CISA Director Chris Krebs.
Management
House Passes Seven-Week Stopgap Spending Bill in Hopes of Avoiding October Shutdown
The Senate must still pass the bill.
Defense
Air Force: Our New Tanker Should Be Ready for War in 3 or 4 Years
A few big problems, and about 500 smaller ones, have put the Boeing-made plane about five years behind schedule.
Nextgov