Management
Insights from the inside: How former feds think we ought to reform the federal government
COMMENTARY | A report by seven former senior federal employees shows what DOGE done right would look like.
Privatization, eliminations and consolidations: Major reforms from Trump's budget
The president's fiscal 2027 blueprint contains significant overhauls to the work carried out by federal agencies.
IRS can’t fully verify in-person work compliance, IG says
The agency identified just 30 employees out of compliance with its return-to-office directive, even as investigators cited gaps in how compliance is verified.
Scammers posing as federal officials drive complaints up and rack up $800 million in losses
The scams, some of which were fueled by AI, can be especially effective because they exploit the built-in authority and urgency people associate with institutions.
DHS to fold intelligence office into headquarters under Trump's 2027 budget plan
The plan to restructure the Office of Intelligence and Analysis would require congressional approval and could reshape oversight of domestic intelligence-sharing.
Civilian agencies face 10% cuts in Trump’s 2027 budget
Dozens of programs and grants face elimination, although proposed cuts to non-defense agencies are smaller than last year and a Defense boost would raise overall spending.
Trump plan to shift student loan oversight to Treasury draws Senate Democrats' backlash
Senate Democrats urge Education and Treasury leaders to rescind the agreement, warning the transfer of loan management responsibilities would worsen dysfunction and increase costs in the $1.7 trillion federal student loan system.
Critics argue new federal workforce rules increase the risk of politicization, not accountability
COMMENTARY | The debate over the Policy/Career Schedule centers on whether the changes strengthen accountability or erode civil service protections.
Forest Service to move HQ out of DC, shutter regional offices in sweeping overhaul
Employees react with tears, warn of brain drain and call the changes "a pointless exercise."
Underused federal offices targeted as GSA releases utilization data
The agency found that thousands of federal buildings did not meet a statutory 60% minimum average utilization rate.
States say ICE pulled Medicaid data despite court order
The data of citizens and lawful permanent residents is supposed to be off limits.
NASA wants to build a base on the Moon by the 2030s. How and why it plans to get there
Instead of chasing a quick landing, NASA is planning a step-by-step effort to build the systems needed for astronauts to stay on the Moon.
Trump admin uses Kid Rock and football to recruit young people to government
A good government group contended that the president’s broader civil service reforms, including previous cuts to early-career staff, would undermine efforts to recruit younger workers.
A call to action: Shining the spotlight on public building utilization
COMMENTARY | The path forward for the government’s real estate portfolio is clear: reduce excess, consolidate intelligently and invest in the core assets that truly support the government’s mission.
Most government leaders say they outpace private sector on AI adoption, survey says
Research by IDC found that 82% of public sector organizations have adopted agentic AI, and 60% of agency heads believe they are ahead of the business community on the technology.
At the National Science Foundation, 'climate change' is disappearing from proposals
As the Trump administration pressures agencies to avoid “woke” language, researchers are reworking how they describe their work to get past federal reviewers and keep projects alive.
As the number of political appointees surge and career SES ranks shrink, one nonprofit warns of ‘institutional consequences’
The Trump administration has sought to exert more political influence over the Senior Executive Service, which are the highest-ranking career civil servants.
New contract for background investigations raises concerns about scale and risk
COMMENTARY | As the government expands continuous vetting and increases workload demands, questions are emerging about whether the acquisition approach can support the mission without delays or performance issues.
Shutdown poised to continue for DHS after House, Senate take diverging paths
A breakthrough appeared early Friday morning but House Republicans appeared to quickly kill it.
Federal contractor DEI initiatives singled out in latest Trump executive order
Trump’s anti-diversity directives already impacted contractors, but the new order imposes additional requirements.
