The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

Though many federal employees have been through shutdowns in the past, a significant majority say things are very different this time. Around about 70% of respondents to a recent Federal News Network survey say the current shutdown feels much less certain than usual. Some survey takers also say the Trump administration's recent actions have only built on the challenges feds have faced this year. Here with more on the survey results 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.

More than 211,000 people have left federal service since January. tens of thousands of employees of contractors are also newly unemployed after the Trump administration cut spending and terminated contracts. In this week's federal report, Federal News Network Executive Editor Jason Miller tells the story of two job seekers and what others can learn from their six month saga. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Supreme Court’s partial stay in a case against NIH has left dozens of public health studies in legal limbo. At the center are canceled grants focused on vaccine hesitancy, LGBTQ health, and racial disparities; topics critics say were targeted for political reasons. Here to explain the ruling and its impact on scientific independence are Dr. Susan Polan and Shalini Goel Agarwal. Dr. Polan is associate executive director for public affairs and advocacy with the American Public Health Association. Ms. Agarwal co-leads Protect Democracy’s Free Expression and the Right to Dissent team.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Federal employees planning to retire are now navigating ORA, the new online platform replacing OPM’s paper-based process. The system is designed to streamline retirement, but early users are facing delays, confusion, and communication breakdowns. For insight on what’s working and what’s not, Federal News Network’s Eric White spoke with Thiago Glieger, a retirement planning expert at RMG Advisors.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Military pay is always front and center of any government shutdown. It can also serve as a motivator to get members of Congress moving before they go too long. On the other side though are the servicemembers themselves, many of whom rely solely on that paycheck to get through their daily lives. To get some insight on the impact this particular shutdown is having on today's military, Federal News Network's Eric White spoke with Jim Whaley, CEO of the nonprofit Mission Roll Call, and a 20 year Army veteran himself.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 Military pay is once again a pressure point in the shutdown fight A Supreme Court ruling challenges NIH’s authority, leaving public health research in the balance A new retirement system promises modernization, but it’s creating more questions than answersSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Trump administration is starting to develop a new National Cyber Security Strategy. Several presidential administrations, including Trump's first, have tried to get their arms around securing US interests in cyberspace, but digital threats to agencies and critical infrastructure have only gotten worse, while artificial intelligence is posing a whole new set of challenges. For more on how the White House is addressing those issues, Federal News Network's Justin Doubleday.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If the current lapse in appropriations lasts at least another day and it sure looks like it will this will officially become the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. But, there are at least a few reasons to think the end might be near. To get an update on where things stand and how this might finally end, we’re joined now from Capitol Hill by Mitchell Miller from our partners at WTOP.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Government shutdown or no, it’s almost time for open season under the Federal Employee Health Benefits program. One common thread this year is premiums are going up by about 12.3%. But price isn’t the only thing to consider as you shop around. To help with the planning process, we’re joined by Tammy Flanagan, founder of Retire Federal.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 We'll take a look at what the shutdown means for the nation's cyber defenses A preview of this year's federal employee health benefits open season An update from Capitol Hill as we approach a new government shutdown recordSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.