Federal Drive with Tom Temin

As artificial intelligence test programs pop up, the Defense Department’s Joint AI Center plans to double its workforce in the next couple of years. The Veterans Affairs' National AI Institute is looking at ways to transform health care. Artificial intelligence experts tell federal News Network's Jory Heckman about the challenges to deploying these projects more widely.

The Trump administration is planning to use Defense Department funds this year to build parts of a border wall. The White House wants double last year's wall spending to $7.2 billion, even with year’s reprogramming still caught up in the courts. Members of Congress are concerned about the use of military construction and drug interdiction funds for border security. They let the administration know it in a letter this week. Federal News Network’s Scott Maucione spoke to House Armed Services Committee Vice Chairman Anthony Brown about his concerns.

Science and engineering spending in the United States exceeds a half trillion dollars annually. Yet the U.S. share of global science and engineering is falling, as is federal participation in U.S. science and engineering. Those are a couple of the trends from this year's biennial State of U.S. Science and Engineering. The report for the President and Congress is the work of the National Science Board, under the auspices of the National Science Foundation. Science Board member and University of Vermont president, Dr. Suresh Garimella joined the show with highlights.

A 2016 law was supposed to give employees at the FBI the same whistleblower protections most other federal employees have. The FBI Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act was a bipartisan, bicameral effort. But when it came time to quickly pass the bill only a shortened version made it to the Senate floor for a vote. Attorneys and whistleblower advocates say the 2016 law gives FBI whistleblowers a few more protections, but still falls short. Federal News Network's Nicole Ogrysko joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin with the story of one FBI whistleblower who says he's still waiting for his day in court.

Come October, after a law and a lot of feverish rule making, federal employees are scheduled to start getting paid parental leave — time off for the birth or adoption of a child. With details on how it might work, and what it will mean for employees, federal employment attorney Tom Spiggle of Spiggle Law Firm joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

Recent and tragic shootings at military installations show that physical threats remain potent, even in the continental U.S. Yet officials missed or overlooked what in retrospect were clear danger signals from the visiting Saudi naval officer officer who killed five people in Pensacola, Florida. With some ideas for what to do next, Federal Drive with Tom Temin turned to former Marine Corps Col. Michael Hudson, now with Clear Force.

Last summer the off-color postings on Facebook by a group of Border Patrol agents caused an uproar. A review by the agency recommended seven of them be fired. But four of the seven are still on the job. Many others who should have received no-pay suspensions got reprimands instead. With analysis of what's going on, Federal Drive with Tom Temin turned to federal employment attorney Debra D'Agostino.

The Environmental Protection Agency is not just a policy-making body. It's also a first responder to spills or releases of substances that could harm the environment. That takes equipment. The EPA's Office of Inspector General has found the agency needs to sharpen up its management of response equipment. The Director of Efficiency Audits, Mike Davis, joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin for the details.

The armed services are supposed to transfer all of their medical facilities to the Defense Health Agency by fall 2021. That's by law, but now halfway through the transition, the Army is raising some concerns. Federal News Network’s Scott Maucione obtained an internal memo from the Army detailing why it thinks the transition needs to slow down. He joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin for a discussion.

With the town still busy discussing the best places to work in the federal government, it's also a good time to reflect on what makes a good or great place to work. With some experienced reflection on that question, Bob Tobias, professor in the Key Executive Leadership Program at American University, joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

Pitch days are growing in popularity. That's where agencies invite potential contractors in for demonstrations or explanations of new products and services. Often pitch days go with the use of non-traditional acquisition techniques. For more details and how to get the most out of a pitch day, federal sales and marketing consultant Larry Allen joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

It's not often that an agency cancels two prominent contracts and then talks about it publicly. That is what the Defense Information Systems Agency did, not as a way to punish or embarrass the contractor, but as a lesson from which others could learn. In his weekly feature, the Reporter's Notebook, Federal News Network Executive Editor Jason Miller writes about DISA's decision and the message it's trying to send across the industry. He joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin to discuss.

With all of the news about rockets to the moon and Mars, it's easy to overlook that NASA has aeronautics in its name. In fact the agency has an extensive program of research into flying structures that don't leave the atmosphere. Now there's a new associate administrator for NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate. Robert Pearce joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin to discuss more.

The Pentagon is already working on new acquisition processes to speed up its software procurements. But the new vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said the Defense Department's requirements process needs an overhaul, too, if the Pentagon’s going to make real progress. Gen. John Hyten said as things stand now, the process is a “nightmare.” Federal News Network’s Jared Serbu had more details on Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

The Senate might be the most tradition-soaked institution in America. But it's had relatively few impeachment trials since the founding. Now it has a big one on its hands, which is in full swing as of Tuesday. Senate expert Ira Shapiro, former staff member and author of two books on the Senate, joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin in studio with insight into how this will affect the institution itself.