Federal Drive with Tom Temin

About half of all households in the U.S. have responded to the 2020 census so far, but in-person followups with those who haven’t, they're on hold for the coronavirus pandemic. The Trump administration is buying the Census Bureau some time, asking Congress for a four-month extension to complete the 2020 count. That expanded timeline puts new challenges on the bureau, but meets the approval of four of its former directors. Federal News Network’s Jory Heckman spoke with one of those former directors, Robert Groves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Pentagon is starting to use its authorities under the Defense Production Act to ramp up the nation’s medical supply base. Meanwhile, the Army Futures Command hasn't let up on its innovation pursuits. Those are a couple of the items Federal News Network’s Scott Maucione and Jared Serbu write about in this week’s edition of the newly-relaunched DoD Reporter’s Notebook. Hear more on Federal Drive with Tom Temin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The coronavirus pandemic has changed just about everything, including how, where and sometimes when we work. The same is true for federal mangers. Some like Vince Stamper are rearranging their schedules to accommodate their employees and their new normal. Stamper is the region four director for the Federal Managers Association. He told Federal News Network's Nicole Ogrysko how he's managing his innovation unit at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard remotely. Hear more on Federal Drive with Tom Temin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The U.S. Postal Service shares at least one thing with postal services throughout the world. The operation of a rural post offices is both important to the people they serve, but can be an economic to keep open. The USPS Office of Inspector General surveyed the postal services of six nations to see how they deal with rural networks. For what they found, Public Policy specialist Jacob Thomases joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recent and miraculously timed stock sales by members of Congress have dredged up long-standing ethical questions. What did they know that everyone else did not? There are rules about this sort of thing. For a review, we turn to Project on Government Oversight policy analyst, Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

They go up a little, they go down a little. But they never really go away. Last year federal improper payments were up a little over $175 billion. In its annual look under this rock, the Government Accountability Office found that agencies that have mitigation programs in place don't measure how effective they are. For the latest, the GAO's director of financial management and assurance issues, Beryl Davis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a paradoxical situation. Federal contractors, especially small businesses, must apply for assistance under the Cares stimulus bill, at a time when demand for their services is higher than ever. For a few tips on navigating through it all, the Federal Drive with Tom Temin spoke Federal sales and marketing consultant Larry Allen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The coronavirus has marched through parts of the federal regulatory apparatus like a boll weevil through a cotton field. CDC, FDA, even the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have all trimmed, relaxed or altered regulations. For a summary, the Federal Drive with Tom Temin spoke with the senior research fellow at the Center for Growth and Opportunity, Will Rinehart. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, the Defense Department struggled to accommodate a massive surge in teleworkers – mainly because of network constraints. But DoD and the military services have made massive upgrades in the weeks since. Officials say some of the improvements are here to stay, even after the emergency is over. Federal News Network’s Jared Serbu has details. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To a certain cadre of thinkers, the coronavirus crisis is no surprise. For example, the National Intelligence Council accurately predicted it back in 2004. And in report after report after that. My next guest as reviewed the literature, and wonders how the government, nearly all governments, could have ended up so un-prepared. Dr. Paul Miller is a professor of international affairs at Georgetown University, and senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. He joined the Federal Drive with Tom Temin to discuss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stuck in bid protest jail, the Defense Department's JEDI cloud program is once again delayed. This May will be two years since DoD released the JEDI solicitation. Meanwhile, the CIA's cloud procurement, known as C2E, is humming along without any problems. It's scheduled for award in September. In his weekly feature, the Reporter's Notebook, executive editor Jason Miller writes about why some believe it's time for DoD to cut bait and jump on the CIA's coattails. Jason joined the Federal Drive with Tom Temin to discuss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An attempt by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell at a fourth stimulus bill, aimed at small business, got stymied on party lines. This as party leaders think about dispensing with spending caps altogether. For our look-ahead at Capitol Hill, the Federal Drive spoke with the editorial director of Bloomberg Government, Loren Duggan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The enforced isolation of the pandemic has made lots of people a bit lonelier. For veterans already at risk of suicide, the situation deepens the threat. Now the Cerner Corporation, the company developing electronic health records for the Defense and Veterans Affairs Departments, has launched a veterans suicide prevention initiative called LifeAid. For more, the president of Cerner Government Services, Travis Dalton. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elections in the United States are mainly the purview of state, counties and cities. But the Election Assistance Commission maintains what are known as Voluntary Voting System Guidelines. They're aimed at ensuring security of elections. Now the commission has called for a review of the the latest proposed standards by its board of advisors, and by the public. For more of what's going on, the Federal Drive with Tom Temin spoke to the Election Assistance Commission chairman, Ben Hovland. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The State Department’s pale-male-and-yale workforce has grown more diverse over nearly two decades, but a recent Government Accountability Office audit shows diversity hasn’t filtered up the agency’s higher ranks. The review also found that racial and ethnic minority employees saw a lower rates of promotions. For more on efforts to diversify, Federal News Network’s Jory Heckman spoke with the State Department's deputy assistant secretary in the Bureau of Global Talent Management, Mirembe Nantongo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices