The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

The Office of Management and Budget is planning to supercharge the Do Not Pay database. The White House says it will cut through some of the systemic issues that have kept this database from helping other agencies further reduce the amount of improper payments across the government. For more on OMB's plans, 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.

A stealthy cyber group known as Salt Typhoon has quietly infiltrated Army National Guard networks, exploiting vulnerabilities and evading detection for months. The group’s “living off the land” tactics allowed them to blend in with legitimate activity, raising alarms about the resilience of U.S. military and civilian infrastructure. Experts warn that this breach marks a dangerous escalation in cyber espionage—and is a wake-up call for national defense. Here to break down this threat is Chief Product Officer at Phosphorus Cybersecurity, Sonu Shankar.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cyber threats are borderless...they can originate anywhere and affect anywhere. A new set of global principles from industry group ITI suggests that cybersecurity should be borderless, or global, as well. Here with more on the framework and how well we stack up is the director for policy for cybersecurity and supply chain at ITI, Leopold Wildenauer.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You’d expect the Department of Veterans Affairs to lead on accessibility, given the community it serves. But a recent report from the VA’s Office of Inspector General found that just four out of 30 sampled IT systems met federal accessibility standards under Section 508. The findings raise serious questions—not just for the VA, but for every agency building digital tools for the public. Joining me with the details on what went wrong, and how the department is working to get it right is Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Audits and Evaluations, Daniel Morris See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The final version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act left most federal benefits untouched—but it did introduce several new tax provisions that could impact how Americans save, contribute, and plan for retirement. From catch-up contributions to Roth conversions, the fine print could mean big changes for your financial future. To help us make sense of it all, we’re joined by Thiago Glieger, a wealth advisor with RMG Advisors.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The IRS is trying to modernize a more than 50 year old IT system that's critical to its work. Every filing season, the agency is working on a future state of its integrated data retrieval system. This system would be a long awaited win for the agency, which has struggled to get the funding and staffing necessary to modernize some of the oldest legacy IT system still running in the federal government, Federal News Network's Jory Heckman is here 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 out with some new guidance on how agencies can adopt zero trust security architectures. CISA's latest guide focuses on a security concept called micro segmentation. It's considered critical to containing hackers and malware before they wreak havoc across networks and steal sensitive data. For more, Federal News Network's Justin Doubleday spoke with Shelley Hartsook, an Acting Associate Director in CISA cybersecurity division.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After months of uncertainty, the Department of Labor is resuming enforcement of affirmative action requirements for federal contractors who hire veterans and people with disabilities. While broader affirmative action rules tied to race and gender were rescinded earlier this year, these programs remain in place by law—and they’re now being revised to reflect the administration’s policy priorities. Here to break down what contractors need to know, what’s being proposed, and why this moment matters for compliance and equity alike 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.

Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton Affirmative action for veterans and people with disabilities is back on the books and back under scrutiny Tucked into the new reconciliation bill are tax changes that could reshape how you save for retirement Accessibility isn’t optional—it’s essential, and a new report shows what can go wrong when it’s not built into federal tech from the startSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A new directive from the Office of Management and Budget is pushing federal agencies to consolidate how they buy goods and services, aiming to streamline procurement, reduce duplication, and improve efficiency. But this shift raises important questions about agency autonomy, innovation, and the role of small businesses in federal contracting. Here to unpack the implications is Emily Murphy, former Administrator of the General Services Administration.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.