The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

The Federal Bureau of Prisons has, for a second time, terminated its collective bargaining agreement with the American Federation of Government Employees. That decision comes just days after a federal judge ordered AFGE’s contract to be restored immediately. The BOP is also facing accusations that it’s been ignoring the judge’s order. Here with the latest, Federal News Network’s Drew Friedman. See...

The Navy is trying to become more agile and less focused on compliance, but that kind of change doesn't happen without support from the top. Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis spoke with Lauren Nelson of Forrester and Navy Chief Technology Officer Justin Fannelli about the role senior leaders played in that transformation and what other organizations can learn from it. See Privacy Policy at htt...

Treasury is offering investors earlier guidance and a clearer picture of what draws scrutiny in foreign investment reviews. The goal is to identify problems before they become delays. Here to walk us through the new features of the CFIUS web portal is Chris Pilkerton, Assistant Secretary for Investment Security at the Treasury Department. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Califor...

The administration's push for more domestic manufacturing and the proposed FAR overhaul both put greater focus on Buy America requirements. A recent court decision clarifies that when agencies consider a waiver, they must evaluate the manufacturing capacity that exists now rather than capacity that may develop in the future. Joining me now is Dan Ramish, partner at Haynes Boone. See Privacy Policy...

Every organization wants more information. The organizations that perform best focus on a different challenge: knowing what information they can trust when it's time to act. Here to discuss how that works is Katie Selbe, chief executive officer of GRVTY. in the latest segment of Contractors to Watch, sponsored by JP Morgan. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Not...

Today on The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton Treasury wants companies thinking about national-security risk long before a foreign investment deal reaches the government's review process A new Buy America ruling says waiver decisions must be based on today's manufacturing capacity, not tomorrow's Confidence doesn't come from having all the information. It comes from knowing what information matters...

The Army is rethinking how it builds and maintains its facilities as it faces a $140 billion backlog of military construction projects. The service wants to use prefabricated buildings, streamline reviews and replace outdated structures instead of spending years repairing them. Army officials are aiming to cut construction timelines by as much as 50% and costs by 30%. Federal News Network’s Rachel...

The National Security Agency says in a new zero trust guide for operational technology systems that nation states and hacktivists are targeting water, power and other critical infrastructure systems more than ever. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

The Agriculture Department wants to reduce the reporting burden on farmers and ranchers while improving the data it uses to make decisions. The plan relies on new ways of collecting and combining information, but its success may depend on whether producers trust the results. Here with more details is Deputy Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics at the U.S. Department of Agriculture...

New technologies are increasingly helping professionals collect and analyze information. Researchers at ARPA-H are now testing a more ambitious idea: whether an AI system can help manage heart-failure patients between doctor visits and make certain clinical judgments on its own. Here with more is Dr. Haider Warraich, program manager at the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health. See Privacy...

A new GAO review finds FEMA has struggled to turn resilience funding into completed projects, even as communities across the country seek help reducing disaster risk. The report offers a look at where that process has stalled and what FEMA could do differently. Here to break it all down for us is Christopher Currie, director of Homeland Security and Justice at the Government Accountability Office....

Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton USDA wants better agricultural data while asking farmers fewer questions. Whether that works may depend on trust as much as technology If technology can help collect information, can it also be trusted to act on it? ARPA-H is funding an AI system designed to help manage heart-failure patients between doctor visits The federal government knows it's cheap...

The Social Security Administration joined a small but seemingly growing number of agencies when it decided to no longer offer its employees the option of an alternative work schedule, and it has caused quite a stir across the federal community. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

The biggest military conference in Washington D.C. is back. The Association of the United States Army annual conference is taking place this week during a period of uncertainty for the service. In his first major address to the force on Monday, Acting Secretary Adam Telle talked about what’s next for the Army. Federal News Network’s Anastasia Obis and Rachel Cohen are at the conference and join me...

The Government Accountability Office has repeatedly found that the administration improperly withheld congressionally appropriated funds under the Impoundment Control Act. Some appropriators are urging GAO to seek judicial enforcement of those findings, even as Congress weighs its own response to the broader dispute over spending authority. Joining me with the latest is Loren Duggan from Bloomberg...

The economics of AI are creating an unusual problem. Unit costs are falling, but overall spending may still rise as adoption spreads across government. Here with insights on how leaders can begin to prepare now are Gayatri Shenai and Tim Ward from McKinsey. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

The Defense Department is creating a new command dedicated to autonomous warfare, while federal agencies are responding to the effects of the latest hurricane. We'll look at what those very different events say about planning, readiness and the role industry plays in both. Joining me is Stephanie Kostro, president of the Professional Services Council. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privac...

Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton Whether it's preparing for the next war or responding to the next storm, success usually depends on work that's already been done The first wave of government AI adoption came with pilot projects and discounted pricing. The next phase could bring a very different budget reality Whether it's preparing for the next war or responding to the next storm, suc...

Welcome to this holiday edition of the Federal Drive on Federal News Network. It's Monday, October 12. I'm your host Terry Gerton, and I'm glad you're here. Thank you for making the Federal Drive part of your Columbus Day holiday today. I wanted to bring you the recording of a panel I moderated at the NDIA Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference on September 9th. The topic is an important one...

The new leader of the Transportation Security Administration is laying out a bold vision for the future of TSA. TSA Administrator David Cummins says the agency’s Horizon 25 strategy is aimed at modernizing airport checkpoints and improving the traveler experience. For more on how those plans are coming together, Federal News Network’s Justin Doubleday joins me. See Privacy Policy at https://art19....

The Government Accountability Office recently made big headlines with its report on the cost of the deferred resignation program. In 2025, agencies spent nearly $7 billion paying federal employees *not* to work. But there's more to the story beyond the headline, like the other factors to consider when calculating DRP costs versus savings, and the limitations of what we actually know about the prog...

Every year, the AUSA conference offers clues about where Army leaders are focused and where the toughest debates may lie ahead. This year's gathering comes amid leadership changes, continuing modernization efforts and new questions about alliance management. Gen. Robert Brown, president of the Association of the United States Army, joins me now with a conference sneak peek. See Privacy Policy at h...

Nearly every veteran has earned burial benefits through military service, but only a fraction of eligible families ever use them. Many families don't learn what's available until they're faced with decisions that can't be postponed. Here to discuss what veterans and their families can do before that moment arrives is Mike Meese, president of Armed Forces Mutual. See Privacy Policy at https://art19...

Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton This year's AUSA conference arrives at an important moment for the Army, with major questions about modernization, readiness and the alliances behind both Nearly every veteran qualifies for burial benefits, but only a fraction of eligible families ever use them See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art1...

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is facing widespread pushback on its planned overhaul of the federal sector complaint process. Lawmakers, former commissioners and other stakeholders are all warning that a proposed rule from EEOC would make it more difficult for federal employees to challenge workplace discrimination. Here with more, Federal News Network’s Drew Friedman. See Privacy Pol...