The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

Federal employees and agencies are bracing for potential government shutdown. Lawmakers have just days to reach a spending agreement with no clear path in sight to avoid a funding lapse. Federal News Network's Drew Friedman joins me now with more on what a shutdown would mean for federal employees.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 Gerton Tracking apportionments reveals if agencies follow the rules as the fiscal year ends Is “cheap mass” just a gateway to permanent software licensing in defense tech? Agencies breathe a sigh of relief with a recent decision from the Court of Federal ClaimsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As agencies figure out how to obligate funds before the fiscal year ends, the apportionment database offers a way to assess whether executive branch spending aligns with congressional intent. From impoundments to rescissions, it’s a key tool for tracking compliance, transparency, and the balance of fiscal power. Here to explain how it all fits together is Program Integrity Fellow with Arnold Ventures, Doug Criscitello.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Neo-defense tech firms promise innovation, deterrence, and reindustrialization, but their real profit model may hinge less on hardware and more on locking in software. Here to sift through the hype and get to what it all means for the future of U.S. defense strategy is defense researcher analyst and War on the Rocks contributor, Jonathan Panter.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Court of Federal Claims rejected Percipient.ai’s challenge to the government’s evaluation process, reinforcing long-standing precedent on standing and discretion. While the ruling went the government’s way, it still offers key takeaways for contractors. Here with an explanation of the case and its consequences is partner at Haynes Boone, Dan Ramish.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ahead of an agency reorganization, the General Services Administration is walking back mass layoffs across its real estate division. The Public Building Service saw major workforce cuts amid plans to shrink its portfolio of federal buildings, but now PBS is asking hundreds of laid off employees to come back to work. 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.

Agencies are being told to change the way they describe positions when promoting job openings. The Office of Personnel Management wants federal job titles to be descriptive, organizational or functional in nature, or in other words, OPM says cut the government jargon. Here with the latest is Federal News Network's Drew Friedman.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Something is different in the Federal Register online data base. Users noticed in August that numbers got much less precise, search results were truncated, and meaningful summaries had disappeared. Here to report on what's happening and why it matters is VP for Policy and a Senior Fellow and the Competitive Enterprise Institute, Wayne Crews.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 Gerton The Federal Register is flashing warning signs A new lawsuit says the Department of Energy is quietly dismantling FOIA and public transparency Aviation meteorologists help keep flights safe, but there aren’t enough of themSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

American Oversight is suing the Department of Energy over a new policy that could quietly shut down thousands of public records requests. The rule requires requesters to re-confirm interest in pending FOIA submissions without notice, risking mass closures and undermining transparency. Here to explain the legal challenge and its broader implications is Chioma Chukwu, Executive Director of American Oversight.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.