The Federal Drive
Top News
- Furlough Friday: Multiple agencies take advantage of holiday weekend
- Congress pressures agencies to speed up office consolidations
- Katherine Archuleta chosen as next OPM director
- Data breach puts DHS workers at risk of identity theft
- IRS replaces official in Tea Party controversy
- Commerce nominee sails through hearing
- DoD chooses interoperability over integration for new e-health record system
- House GOP panel moves on deep budget cuts
- OMB fuels synergy between mobile, open data
- Accountability breakdown leading factor in DoD sexual assaults
- OMB reworking financial system requirements
- Federal retirement funds temporarily tapped
- VanRoekel to lead OMB management team
- Meet the 2013 Service to America Medal finalists
- Thursday federal headlines - May 23, 2013
Monday - Friday, 6-10 a.m.
Hosts Tom Temin and Emily Kopp bring you the latest news affecting the federal community each weekday morning. Be up-to-date before you step in the office.
Tuesday morning federal headlines - Dec. 18, 2012
The Morning Federal Newscast is a daily compilation of the stories you hear Federal Drive hosts Tom Temin and Emily Kopp discuss throughout the show each day. The Newscast is designed to give FederalNewsRadio.com users more information about the stories you hear on the air. In today's news, the Combined Federal Campaign extends its fundraising deadline and the Social Security Administration is renewing a data matching program with the Office of Personnel Management.
E-Government Act helped usher in a new approach to federal IT
The 10-year-old law created a centralized oversight and advocate in OMB for IT management and programs. It also focused on making the government more citizen-centered and having agencies collaborate on delivering services to the public.
Federal acquisition leaders distressed over workforce, budget cuts
Latest edition of a biennial survey, sponsored by a contracting industry group, finds acquisition leaders have the same challenges they had a decade ago. But they fear tighter budgets will reverse progress toward improving the government's acquisition workforce.
Agencies describe roadblocks to wider mobile adoption
The federal government is on a quest to provide high-quality agency data to the public through a variety of digital avenues. But standing in the path of agencies' ability to provide government data "anytime, anywhere and on any device" are a number of potential roadblocks, according to a series of new reports from the Federal Chief Information Officers' Council.
Sen. Daniel Inouye of Hawaii dead at 88
Recovering from war wounds that left him with one arm, Danny Inouye wanted a cigarette and needed a light.
Census to offer Internet option in gov't surveys
For the first time, the Census Bureau is giving U.S. households a chance to respond to government surveys over the Internet, part of a bid to save costs and boost sagging response rates in a digital age. The new online option will supplement the traditional census mail-out operation. It is a major shift for the agency, which has relied almost exclusively on paper forms since 1970 but is now moving toward a more Internet-based system after spending a record $13 billion on the 2010 census.
Federal Drive Interviews -- Dec. 17, 2012
Attorney Lynne Bernabei examines a recent ruling that allows feds to file some MSPB appeals in district courts. GAO's Michele Mackin describes why more than 40 contracts worth more than $20 million each were awarded without meeting new guidelines. Former White House official Dan Chenok discusses the highs and lows of the E-Government Act. Melanie Ann Pustay of the Justice Department talks about how agencies report their Freedom of Information Act request fulfillment.
Pentagon front-runner has strong Obama ties
Chuck Hagel emerged last week as the front-runner for the Pentagon's top job, four years after leaving behind a Senate career in which he carved out a reputation as an independent thinker and blunt speaker.
On foreign policy, Kerry is Obama's good soldier
Democratic Sen. John Kerry stands tall as President Barack Obama's good soldier.
Monday morning federal headlines - Dec. 17, 2012
The Morning Federal Newscast is a daily compilation of the stories you hear Federal Drive hosts Tom Temin and Emily Kopp discuss throughout the show each day. The Newscast is designed to give FederalNewsRadio.com users more information about the stories you hear on the air. In today's news, some GSA workers may have to empty their own trash and federal construction is grinding to a halt.
Joint Chiefs to crack down on military IT stovepipes
A new process promises more advance word on what the Pentagon wants from its military services, but demands they comply with common architectures. DoD said it is learning from development mistakes of the past.
Changes in federal acquisition environment taking toll on vendors
Preliminary results from a Grant Thornton survey of contractors show profits, revenues and overall participation in the government market is down. The pressure from the administration's steps to reign in high risk contracts and reduce spending is having an impact on most contractors. The Navy, for example, is trying to be more disciplined in how it buys goods and services.
House OKs DHS audit, lightens GAO load
The House this week approved a handful of bills aimed at improving federal financial management and oversight of government operations. Two of the bills — one requiring the Homeland Security Department to pass a complete financial audit and the other lightening the mandatory caseload of the Government Accountability Office — have already been passed by the Senate and head to the president's desk for his signature.
Lawmakers up in arms over report on Army payroll problems
The U.S. Army's $47 billion in annual military payroll accounts has caused major woes for some soldiers trying to collect their pay, according to a new report by the Government Accountability Office. As a result of the Army being unable to track and collect data on numerous pay errors including over payments, under payments, data entry errors and fraud, active duty soldiers are not receiving the correct compensation and this has a bipartisan team of lawmakers furious.
Kerry, Hagel front-runners to lead State, Defense
Democratic Sen. John Kerry, who unsuccessfully sought the presidency in 2004 and has pined for the job of top diplomat, vaulted to the head of President Barack Obama's short list of secretary of state candidates after U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice suddenly withdrew from consideration to avoid a contentious confirmation fight with emboldened Republicans.
Federal judges sue to win promised pay increases
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in October ordered Congress to pay six federal judges years of back pay.
Federal Drive Interviews -- Dec. 14, 2012
Khem Sharma discusses the Small Business Administration's plans to raise size standards for companies in two groups. Dr. Murray Lumpkin of the FDA talks about the close coordination between two countries. Stuart Delery explains how the Justice Department recovered $5 billion under the False Claims Act last year.
Friday morning federal headlines - Dec. 14, 2012
The Morning Federal Newscast is a daily compilation of the stories you hear Federal Drive hosts Tom Temin and Emily Kopp discuss throughout the show each day. The Newscast is designed to give FederalNewsRadio.com users more information about the stories you hear on the air. In today's news, federal judges want their back pay, GSA has created a new vehicle for buying IT products and the EPA Administrator's two email accounts are in question.
OMB ratchets up accountability on high-priority goals
The administration updated Performance.gov with a variety of data to highlight progress against each agency's goals and the cross-agency goals. OMB's Shelley Metzenbaum said the depth of information now on the site puts pressure on agencies to meet or surpass their goals. Interior and Education provide examples of how the discipline that the high-priority goals demanded has positively impacted their agency.
Highest ranked agencies distinguished by strong leadership
NASA, the Surface Transportation Board and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation share a common trait that led them to the top ranking for their size class in the Partnership for Public Service's seventh annual Best Places to Work survey. Transportation, OMB and the National Credit Union Administration earn the most improved status by implementing the best practices of the leading agencies.
