The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

Under Biden Administration regulations, only contractors with project labor agreements can bid on federal construction projects. Whether that is a good thing or a bad thing depends on what you measure. Here with more insight on the impact of PLAs is the legal director at the National Right to Work Foundation, William Messenger.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Home renovation was a big trend during the pandemic when everyone was stuck inside and looking to make their home more functional or comfortable. For better or worse, many federal workers may find themselves spending more time at home this summer than they expected, and may find that same renovation instinct kicking in. Here with some advice on which projects are most likely to pay you back is R-M-G Advisors certified financial planner Thiago Glieger.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau declared a major incident breach in 2023 that affected over 200,000 consumers and 46 institutions. As their Inspector General investigated the event, they found a need for much stronger internal controls. Here with more on their findings and recommendations are Laura Shakarji and Michael Zeitler from the Inspector General of the Federal Reserve Board and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The House Appropriations Committee is fed up with the Department of Homeland Security's practice of moving money from other components to fund immigration and customs enforcement operations. Now the committee is proposing new restrictions on DHS ability to transfer funds. The provision suggests some GOP lawmakers are quietly trying to reassert Congress' power of the purse federal news networks. Justin Doubleday 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 fallout from the so called peace dividend from the end of the Cold War came to a head in the early 2000s. The signs were all around. They included agencies losing too many protests and a huge increase in agencies depending on contractors to provide services. The solution from Congress was the Services Acquisition Reform Act. As part of Federal News Network's 25th anniversary celebration, we chose the SARA Act as one of the top 25 federal moments over the last 25 years. For more on how the SARA Act set the foundation for modern acquisition Federal News Network's Executive Editor Jason Miller 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.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is pursuing more workforce cuts after firing hundreds of probationary employees earlier this year, NOAA says it's looking at major budget cuts next year as part of plans to refocus on its core mission. NOAA is now facing a lawsuit from fired probationary employees, claiming the agency relied on flawed personnel data to make those initial termination decisions. 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.

After a few years respite on Capitol Hill, it's time again for defense acquisition reform, and this time around, reform might not be strong enough a word the backers, the leaders of the House Armed Services Committee, say they're aiming for wholesale replacement of the DoD acquisition system. The goal is mainly speed, but also a more empowered acquisition workforce, a willingness to fail fast, and a more diversified defense industrial base. Details now from 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.

Many segments of the military community still struggle with unemployment and underemployment in the civilian sector. Veterans, spouses, and members of the National Guard and Reserve all have different challenges and could use some individualized assistance. Here with some helpful resources is the CEO of Hire Heroes USA, Ross Dickman.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 Tom Temin What it will really cost to shut down the US Agency for International Development One non-profit is stepping in to meet the mental health needs of those displaced USAID workers Moving from military service to civilian employment can be a tough journey. One group is trying to make it easierSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

USAID was an early target of the Trump Administration. But moving fast and breaking things can be expensive. A recent memo from the DOGE lead for the agency's shutdown now estimates an ongoing cost of six billion dollars each year for the forseeable future. Here with more on the details of the process and the memo is Senior Reporter for Bloomberg Government, Ian Kullgren.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.