The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

As unpaid DHS contractor invoices stretch back nearly nine months, companies supporting critical homeland security missions say workforce stability and operational readiness are increasingly at risk. With Congress still weeks away from funding relief, the question is how long that capacity can be sustained. Here to break down those impacts is Stephanie Kostro, president of the Professional Service...

Modernizing preparedness law requires more than updating language or refreshing authorities. It means confronting where coordination, capacity and accountability have fallen short under stress as threats have evolved. Here to walk through some key considerations is U.S. policy and advocacy officer at the Global Health Technologies Coalition, Alex Long. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/priva...

Drawing on experiences from governments across the globe, a new trends report focuses less on prediction and more on how public institutions respond when resources are tight and systems are under strain. We’ll talk about what those shared lessons suggest for decision‑making ahead with the executive director of the Center for Government Insights at Deloitte, Bill Eggers. See Privacy Policy at https...

The Agriculture Department is expanding its reorganization plans; moving hundreds of additional employees from its component agencies out of the Washington DC area. Food Safety and Inspection Service employees working at its headquarters are being asked to move to states like Iowa and Georgia. USDA is also doubling down on reassignments that began under the first Trump administration. Federal News...

President Trump’s pick to lead the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is withdrawing from consideration. Sean Plankey was first nominated to serve as CISA director last March. But after a long wait in the Senate, Plankey says he needs to step back, leaving the cyber agency without a permanent director for the foreseeable future. For more, Federal News Network’s Justin Doubleday joins...

Coming up on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton When Congress focuses on one big fight, something else usually stalls A court decision has strengthened the CFPB’s footing as debates over its future continue Updating aviation consumer protections is one piece of a broader question about how the federal government prepares for large‑scale travel and tourism demands See Privacy Policy at https://art...

The budget resolution and reconciliation process are absorbing much of Congress’s attention, staff time and political oxygen. That focus is crowding the calendar for core governing work, including upcoming appropriations, must‑do bills, and pending confirmations. Here to break down how the current focus reshapes the rest of the legislative calendar is Deputy News Director at Bloomberg Government,...

A recent court ruling requiring continued funding of CFPB gives the organization room to keep carrying out its mission despite ongoing pressure from the White House and Congress. We’ll examine how the decision affects the bureau’s day‑to‑day operations and longer‑term outlook, with Senior Counsel at Ballard Spahr, Alan Kaplinsky. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Priva...

As the United States prepares to host the World Cup and the Olympics, attention is turning to how federal agencies plan for passenger experience and tourism capacity. A recent House‑passed aviation bill highlights those connections in a tangible way. Representative Dina Titus from Nevada joins me now to discuss the issue. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notic...

Defense Department employees have become the latest to lose their protections provided under collective bargaining agreements as the Trump administration continues to strip workers of their union rights at agencies with national security missions. But unions say they have represented federal workers for decades, have successfully challenged similar efforts in the past and will continue to fight th...

A pay raise for federal employees in 2027 is looking even further out of reach. The House Appropriations Committee has advanced spending legislation that makes no mention of a federal pay raise next year. That aligns with the White House’s omission of a civilian raise in its budget request from earlier this month. Here with the latest, Federal News Network’s Drew Friedman. See Privacy Policy...

USPS leaders have warned Congress about financial strain, rising costs and the possibility of service reductions, concerns that show up first in rural delivery. That stress now collides with growing demands on the mail system, including election‑related responsibilities. Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski representing Illinois’ 13th Congressional District, joins me with her thoughts on the challenges f...

OPM’s request for more granular FEHB health data and the Postal Service’s suspension of employer pension contributions raise separate issues, but they share common questions about privacy, authority and long‑term trust in benefit structures. John Hatton joins us with NARFE’s perspective. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-n...

Coming up today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

The Transportation Security Administration has quietly been advancing big changes to the private contractor security screening program. TSA says the goal is innovation and a better passenger experience. It comes against the backdrop of Trump administration efforts to privatize more TSA operations. For the latest, Federal News Network’s Justin Doubleday joins me. See Privacy Policy at https://art19...

Nearly seven months into the fiscal year, the Small Business Administration is considering moving the small business contracting goal posts for agencies. In a document sent to agencies in March, SBA detailed several new factors it will consider as it grades agency efforts to contract with small businesses. For more on this new methodology and why SBA's plans are causing concern among small bu...

Coming up today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton A new strategic plan signals how the Office of Special Counsel sees its responsibilities evolving over the next five years The outcome of one lawsuit could shape how future FBI investigations are handled Two Pentagon workforce decisions are raising new concerns about capacity and consent See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Cali...

The Office of Special Counsel occupies a complicated place in the federal system; part protector, part enforcer and increasingly, a test of trust for career employees. As demand rises and scrutiny intensifies, OSC is formally defining how it sees that role over the next five years. My guest is Charles Baldis, senior counsel and designee to the acting special counsel at the Office of Special Counse...

Three former FBI agents fired last fall are now bringing a class‑action lawsuit, arguing their removals crossed a line with consequences beyond their own cases. What the legal challenge could mean for agents working controversial investigations and for the Bureau itself is the focus of our conversation with former FBI agent David Sundberg. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Califo...

Congressional scrutiny of the Department of Defense’s clearance backlogs comes as the Pentagon again asks civilian employees to volunteer for temporary immigration‑support deployments. Together, the moves highlight growing strain on the defense civilian workforce and the systems that support it. We’ll unpack both with Dan Meyer, national security partner at Tully Rinckey. See Privacy Policy at htt...

After major staffing reductions under the Trump administration, the federal workforce is at a 15-year low. But now, some agencies are reversing course and talking again about expanding recruitment opportunities. That comes as administration officials are also pushing for hiring reforms, like technical assessments and pooled recruitment. For the latest on agency hiring prospects, Federal News Netwo...

The federal government’s landlord and its human resources office are embarking on plans to share the same headquarters. The Office of Personnel Management and the General Services Administration are moving together under one roof. This is the latest example of agencies in the Washington, D.C. area moving out of headquarters that aren’t meeting minimum occupancy requirements recently set by law. Fe...

Advanced computing and AI are reshaping nearly every sector, but access to those capabilities remains uneven. The National Science Foundation is launching a new effort aimed at broadening who can use advanced computing. Dr. Erwin Gianchandani joins me from the National Science Foundation. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-...

Coming up today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton The real challenge with AI and advanced computing is closing the gap between where the technology exists and who can actually use it Quantum computing is a national priority, but who’s actually in charge? A major environmental decision is now locked in, with lingering questions about the process behind it See Privacy Policy at https://art19.co...

The federal government’s national strategy for quantum computing lays out broad goals, but a new GAO review finds gaps in coordination, accountability, and performance measurement across agencies. We’ll walk through what’s missing and what updating the strategy could change with Candace Wright, director for science, technology assessment, and analytics at the Government Accountability Office. Read...