The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

Whether it’s the first day of a new fiscal year or the start of a government shutdown, the contributions of federal employees deserve recognition. Michael Perel spent nearly four decades at the Department of Transportation and now, in retirement, he’s using creativity and community service to honor the public servants who keep the country running. Michael joins me now to share his message and his music.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on the The Federal Drive with Terry GertonAs federal workers face uncertainty, one retiree is sending a heartfelt thank you... through musicWhen shutdowns become weapons, the damage goes far beyond the budgetBillion-dollar disasters are increasing and FEMA’s workforce may not be ready to respondSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

While a shutdown is looming, one federal department is positioned to have a lot of funding no matter the outcome of congressional negotiations. This week, the Department of Homeland Security has more than $150 billion to spend from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed over the summer, and federal contractors are following the money and positioning themselves to contribute to DHS's mission. For more, Federal News Network's Justin Doubleday joins me now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Until very recently, when many of the Navy Department's parts and other materials were removed from units that no longer needed them, those items tended to sit in storage without much visibility until they were eventually turned over to be disposed of as excess government property. But that's changed significantly in recent years, thanks to the Naval Supply Systems Command's Consumable Asset Reutilization Program, or CARP. NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center in San Diego has been able to rescue and redirect 116,000 items, saving the government almost $14 million so far by reutilizing assets it already owns. Robert Medina is the deputy director for the CARP program's nearby Ventura County site, and Doug Murphy is the material management and warehouse utilization product and service lead. They talked about it with Federal News Network's Jared Serbu.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Deferred Resignation Plan promised a smoother exit for federal employees. But with September 30 landing on the edge of a shutdown, that promise is under pressure. Retirement processing delays, furloughed HR staff and a surge in last-minute applications could leave some workers in a pay gap. Here to explain what’s at stake for DRP participants and other would-be retirees is principal with Retire Federal, Tammy Flanagan.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With a shutdown deadline fast approaching, questions are mounting about which contracts will be paused, who will be furloughed and how the government’s contractor workforce should prepare. The ripple effects could hit everything from IT services to facility support, especially in agencies without full-year funding. We get perspective from 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.

Even if the Democrats got everything they're asking for in their proposed continuing resolution, it only kicks the CR can down the road for a few weeks and we could find ourselves right back to shutdown talk. Here to talk about the political and institutional issues driving the current funding standoff is senior fellow in Governance Studies at Brookings, Molly Reynolds.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on The Federal Drive with Terry GertonThe issues driving the shutdown showdown are about more than moneyFederal retirement meets shutdown risk on the same day — what could go wrong?Federal contractors are bracing for impact as a government shutdown loomsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A federal court finds President Donald Trump unlawfully fired agency watchdogs just days after taking office, but none of the inspectors general he fired are getting their jobs back. The judge says Trump didn't follow procedure, but also says presidents have broad authority to fire the IGs. Federal News Network's Jory Heckman joins me now with more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is ordering federal civilian agencies to take immediate action against a widespread hacking campaign targeting Cisco firewalls. The emergency directive was issued last Thursday in response to zero day vulnerabilities that hackers have been exploiting for quite some time. Federal News Network's Anastasia. Obis 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.