Federal Drive with Tom Temin

She's a program analyst in an office far from headquarters. But now she's been named professional employee of the year by the Army Corps of Engineers. With how one person can make a difference, Debra Bradshaw spoke to Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

For more than a year, the Defense Department has been, at least nominally, operating under a new doctrine. Namely, that the U.S. is back in the game of great powers competition. But do the budget requests for 2020, much less what results when Congress is through with it, reflect the priorities of the National Defense Strategy? For one angle on this question, two data analytic experts from Govini joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin in the studio. Jim Mitre is senior vice president, and Tara Murphy is president of Govini's National Security Practice.

Less grunt work for the federal workforce sounds like an easy sell, but agencies still have a long road ahead of them when it comes to getting automation off the ground. Employees remain skittish about what impact automation might have on their jobs, even though agencies are still in the pilot stage with these projects. But Trump administration officials said automation will improve federal jobs, not cut them. Federal News Network's Jory Heckman joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin for the latest details.

For the Transportation Security Administration, history has been a journey towards more, and more elaborate technology for screening people and things. Now it's issued a request for information on a fresh technology support contract. For analysis of what's ahead, Bloomberg Government senior analyst Cameron Leuthy spoke to Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

The Navy said it has no shortage of innovators within its global workforce. The challenge is connecting those people and their ideas with decision-makers in the service’s acquisition bureaucracy. To help solve that problem, officials are setting up what they call “tech bridges” in five locations around the country. As Federal News Network’s Jared Serbu reported, the goal is to make innovation more scalable. Hear more on Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

Hardly a day goes by now without reports of a workplace shooting. The Defense Department has been building an elaborate system to control physical access to its thousands of facilities, but it needs to do a better job of making sure it all works. Diana Maurer, director of Defense Capabilities and Management Issues at the Government Accountability Office, had more information on Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

One part of the Defense Department is pushing gamely forward with the JEDI cloud procurement. Another part of DoD is investigating whether the procurement is fair and above board. Maybe the biggest question is if and when if comes out, will anyone use it. BDO managing director Larry Allen joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin for some perspective.

Federal law enforcement officers are upset with legislation introduced by Democratic Reps. Lacy Clay (Mo.) and Ro Khanna (Calif.). The Peace Act would change the federal standard for use of force by making it allowable only to prevent imminent death or serious injury. Don Mihalek and Pat O'Carroll, the incoming and outgoing executive directors of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA), joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin in the studio to share their objections.

Patience at the National Institute of Standards and Technology is starting to wear thin. NIST has been waiting since January for the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in the Office of Management and Budget to finish its review of new and expanded privacy controls in special publication 800-53, Revision 5. The nine-month approval process is now having a downward impact on several other publications that NIST wants to release. In his weekly feature, the Reporter's Notebook, Federal News Network Executive Editor Jason Miller writes about how OIRA's review sluggishess isn't just a challenge for NIST, but for other agencies and vendors too.He joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin for the details.

The Defense Department formally stood up US Space Command last week as one of its first big steps toward expanding its space capabilities. As another one of the next steps, officials said they also want to create a Space National Guard. If Congress goes along with the idea, some of its initial personnel would likely be drawn from the Air National Guard. Lt. Gen Scott Rice is the director of the Air National Guard. He talked with Federal News Network’s Scott Maucione about how his component of the Air Force might contribute to the growth in demand for space forces. Hear more on Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

Traffic and school buses aren't the only things rushing back into the Washington, D.C., area this week. Congress is soon to return, and boy, does it have a crowded agenda. Bloomberg Government editorial director Loren Duggan joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin with what to expect between now and the end of the federal fiscal year.

Early on, the Trump administration told federal agencies to reduce the regulatory burden by removing two rules for every one they proposed. The Environmental Protection Agency managed to exceed its deregulatory goals, as Jeffrey Harris explained to Federal Drive with Tom Temin. He is the director of Toxics, Chemical Management and Pollution Prevention Directorate in EPA's Office of Inspector General.

For decades the General Services Administration's Multiple Award Schedule system has provided a popular way for agencies to acquire commercial goods and services. It's popular to the tune of $45 billion a year. Now GSA will consolidate 24 distinct schedules into one. Centre Law Group managing partner Barbara Kinosky joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin in studio to explain what it means to contractors and buyers.

The National Guard says it will create a Space National Guard if Congress approves a Space Force in its 2020 defense authorization bill. Guard officials says they needs a space branch in order to keep funding, mission and requirements aligned to the active duty service. Federal News Network’s Scott Maucione talked with Brigadier General Patrick Cobb, special assistant to the National Guard Chief for space, about the details.

President Donald Trump delivered a big surprise to federal employees late Friday. He announced plans to implement a 2.6% pay raise for civilian federal employees next year, when almost everyone was expecting another pay freeze. Federal employee unions welcomed the news over the weekend. But they're still not quite satisfied. Federal News Network's Nicole Ogrysko joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin to break down the big announcement and explain what comes next.