The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

The military's effort to unify its sensors and networks under the banner of Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control has been in the works for several years. Now, a big part of the National Guard's contribution is coming into focus. The Guards project homeland is meant to bridge the gap between local emergency response and military support. Key parts of it are expected to be up and running by next year. Kenneth McNeil is the Chief Information Officer for the National Guard Bureau. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Department of Veterans Affairs says it's no longer pursuing widespread layoffs as part of a plan to downsize its workforce. Instead, the VA expects tens of thousands of employees to leave the agency voluntarily by the end of the fiscal year. That means the VA is no longer considering a department wide reduction-in-force and Federal News Network's Jory Heckman is here with more details. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The vibes in federal sector employment are real. A new report from Indeed confirms what many in the federal sector have been feeling...too many highly skilled job seekers and too few jobs. Here with the details is senior economist at the Indeed Hiring Lab, Corey Stahle.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

President Trump's budget proposal for the Department of Health and Human Services includes major reductions and reorganizations to some of the nation's foundational health programs. Here with more insight into the specific details and their implications is Director at McDermot Plus, Jeffrey Davis.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jason Miller, executive editor at Federal News Network, discusses the implications of a controversial executive order affecting labor relations in federal agencies. Stephanie Costrow details the DOD and DHS budget submissions for 2026, highlighting key program shifts. Pat Tamburino offers innovative strategies for attracting tech talent to government roles. Townsend Bourne examines new DOJ rules on foreign access to sensitive data. Lastly, John Ludvigsson shares insights on the Defense Department's strategy for acquiring launch services amid evolving challenges.

The impact of President Trump's March Executive Order stripping collective bargaining rights from employees at 23 agencies for national security reasons is slow to materialize, and now all of those efforts are on further hold, with a California District Judge issuing a preliminary injunction on July 1 stopping agencies from further implementation of the executive order in this week's federal report. Federal News Network's Executive Editor Jason Miller dug into the court filings, and he joins me with some of the more interesting comments from agencies and the unions about the impact of the EO. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Although much is still unsettled in the Trump Administration's approach to federal personnel, some agencies are already beginning to hire, or rehire, talent in key positions. The last few administrations have been frustrated that process takes so long and still doesn't give hiring managers the best set of possible recruits. Here with ideas about a better way to approach hiring tech talent is the Chief Operating Officer of Noble Reach Foundation, Pat Tamburrino.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Space may be the final frontier, but it all starts with a launch. A new Government Accountability Office review looks at how the Defense Department is approaching its phase three strategy for acquiring launch services and responding to DoD growing demand for launch services and infrastructure. As the number of commercial space launches from federal ranges increases, strained infrastructure, capped cost recovery and limited payload processing capacity are all putting pressure on the system. GAO's Jon Ludwigson spoke with Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis about the need for better data and improving DoD ability to recoup launch support costs.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Back in April, the Department of Justice issued a new rule governing foreign adversary access to U.S. sensitive data. But the complications of the rule and comments from companies motivated DOJ to provide a 90-day grace period for companies to come into compliance. That grace period ends today. Here with more on the rule, the requirements, and what happens next is partner in the Governmental Practice in Shepherd Mullin's Washington, D.C. office, Townsend Bourne.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The DoD and DHS budget submissions for 2026 are full of information about new priority programs. They also indicate where programs may be flat or declining. Contractors can dig in now to build their strategies and position for the future. Here with more details on which programs gain and which might not is the President of the Professional Services Council, Stephanie Kostro.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.