The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

According to the Peterson Foundation, this year’s CBO outlook lays out a budget weighed down by structural forces; from health‑care costs to an aging population that outpace the revenue coming in. It’s a forecast shaped by competing political pressures and economic realities that don’t move in the same direction. We’ll explore whether there’s any realistic path to addressing those imbalances with...

For more than a decade, Sara Wilson has been a steady presence for families navigating military grief, from Good Grief Camps to crisis support in some of the hardest moments. Her peer‑to‑peer networks, advocacy work, and calm guidance have strengthened the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, or TAPS, community at home and abroad. She joins me ahead of receiving the Senator Ted Stevens Leader...

Ongoing U.S. military operations in the Middle East are stretching supply chains, increasing demand for munitions and intelligence, and raising new questions about how long industry can sustain the pace without supplemental funding. Behind every deployment, contractors are providing the logistics, technology, and support that make operations possible. Joining me to break down what this moment mean...

The Defense Department has begun taking a series of equity stakes in companies deemed critical to national security. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have questions about the new strategy. Federal News Network’s Anastasia Obis has more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

The General Services Administration is set to lead an acquisition system consolidation across government. That’s because GSA will be designated a “quality service management office” for acquisition. For more on what that means and what comes next, Federal News Network’s Justin Doubleday joins me. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/pri...

Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton As HHS looks to speed up AI in clinical care, the big questions are burden, trust and what comes next AI is now a competitive edge in federal capture, and small firms need to adjust fast Escalating conflict abroad is now driving debates over war powers, energy prices and the fate of key funding bills See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and C...

The Department of Health and Human Services asked clinicians, patients, developers and health systems how the agency should guide the use of AI in health care delivery. That feedback will shape the Department’s approach to trust, interoperability and responsible adoption. We talk through what happens next with Deputy National Coordinator for Policy at HHS, Mark Atalla. See Privacy Policy at https:...

AI is reshaping the skills contractors need to compete. Small businesses in particular need to adjust how they use these tools inside their proposals. An intentional approach can help a proposal stand out in a crowd. We get practical guidance from Desmond Brown, former Executive Director, Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization, Department of Veterans Affairs. See Privacy Policy a...

Democrats are signaling they may force votes tied to the Iran conflict while leadership scrambles to keep DHS funding and other priorities on track. Energy interventions meant to blunt price spikes are adding new economic pressure that could reshape the legislative lineup. We’ll look at how these forces converge on Capitol Hill with Loren Duggan, Deputy News Director at Bloomberg Government. See P...

After a year of workforce overhauls, the Trump administration is continuing to charge forward with major changes for federal employees. The new Schedule "Policy-slash-Career" classification is on the brink of becoming reality. Revisions to the performance management system will soon take shape. Many of these looming changes come directly from the Office of Personnel Management. At a...

Hundreds of thousands of taxpayers are facing extended wait times to receive their tax refunds from the IRS. In the past many of them would normally receive a paper check from the agency. But the Trump administration is phasing those out in favor of electronic payments that are faster and less prone to errors. In some cases, taxpayers are now waiting months for their refunds. News Network’s Jory H...

Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton A smaller IRS staff could mean a longer wait for returns Applications are open for a program that helps Navy and Marine Corps families pay for school through grants and interest‑free loans See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Tax season is underway, but the agency at the center of it is dealing with a shrinking workforce and the loss of tools meant to make filing easier. Those gaps are raising worries about whether the IRS can keep up, especially when it comes to customer service. For more, Federal News Network’s Eric White spoke with former Treasury Department Deputy Chief of Staff Julie Siegel. See Privacy Policy at...

The Navy‑Marine Corps Relief Society has opened its 2026–27 Education Assistance Program, giving spouses and children a chance to apply for scholarships and interest‑free loans that can ease the cost of higher education. The Society supports hundreds of families each year through this program, and demand for this cycle is already building as more households look for help balancing school, service,...

The Homeland Security shutdown is delaying key public meetings over forthcoming cyber incident reporting regulations. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency had planned on holding the meetings this month. But much of CISA’s operations have been curtailed by the shutdown. For more, Federal News Network’s Justin Doubleday joins me. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Ca...

Four of the six major programs run by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services saw their improper payment rate increase in fiscal 2025. Medicare Part C, Medicare Part D and Medicaid all saw upticks in how much money went out the door that shouldn’t have. While not all improper payments are considered fraud, CMS is planning an all out effort to reign in fraud specifically, and improper paymen...

DPAA’s mission is to account for missing service members from World War II through Vietnam, work that depends as much on scientific progress as on the trust they build with families. Their Family Member Updates have become one of the few places where relatives can hear, face‑to‑face, what’s happening in long‑standing cases. Joining us to explain why those touchpoints remain essential are Col. Dere...

Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton DPAA’s family updates remain the heart of a mission that still spans the globe in search of answers As the situation in the Middle East worsens, Americans seeking a way out are once again turning to Congressional caseworkers — and the workload is beginning to look uncomfortably familiar Questions about pay, leave payouts, and retirement rules can catch...

With official guidance thin and evacuation routes uncertain, Americans overseas are flooding Congressional offices for help, recreating the same crisis‑driven scramble we saw after the fall of Kabul. Caseworkers, who were never meant to be emergency responders are again stepping into life‑and‑death situations as they try to fill gaps left by strained federal operations. We’ll dig into what’s happe...

Some feds are seeing unexpected effects from the new special pay rate for law enforcement and from year‑end retirements that didn’t line up with when agencies process annual leave payouts. New retirees also face a set of early housekeeping steps that can make a big difference in how smoothly their benefits begin. We sort through the practical details with federal retirement expert Tammy Flanagan....

The Army is beginning to use a promotion authority Congress approved in 2018 that could give some officers more flexibility in how they move through the ranks. Federal News Network’s Anastasia Obis gives us an update. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

A multibillion-dollar backlog of building maintenance projects has grown too large for the federal government’s landlord to effectively manage. That’s according to a board that advises the General Services Administration on buildings it should sell or dispose of. The board recommends a “radical reduction” of buildings GSA owns. Federal News Network’s Jory Heckman join us with more.  See Priva...

By bypassing notice‑and‑comment and issuing an interim final rule, VA shocked groups that normally get a heads‑up on major policy shifts. Veterans responded with near‑universal concern about how treatment‑controlled symptoms would be judged. We hear why the response was so sharp from Carl Blake, CEO of the Paralyzed Veterans of America. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Californi...

The 21st Theater Sustainment Command. cuts the ribbon March 13 on its Innovation Lab at Kaiserslautern, Germany, built to help Soldiers tackle problems closest to the mission. The lab ties frontline needs to Army Development Command’s ability to prototype and test new concepts. We look at what Soldiers can build, how ideas move through the pipeline, and what success looks like in year one with Maj...

The heightened threat environment has put a spotlight on federal readiness, but a new GAP review shows HHS still lacks formal mechanisms to coordinate its two major preparedness programs. Those gaps matter when states face overlapping health hazards from outbreaks to extreme weather to hostile‑actor disruptions. GAO’s Mary Denigan‑Macauley joins us with the details. See Privacy Policy at https://a...