The Trump administration will have to deal with vacancies in the ranks of inspectors general. The last time around the Trump White House had sort of a touchy relationship with some of them. Here with one view of what should happen next the director of the effective and accountable government program at the Project on Government Oversight, Faith Williams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The newest Air Force squadron does all of its work on the ground, in one place. The Air Force recently activated the 316th Inpatient Squadron at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Joining me for what the squadron does, Air Force Senior Master Sergeant Erin Barger. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Federal agencies have more buildings and office space than they need. Most everybody agrees on that. Successive administrations have seen the need to trim federal office space, and the COVID 19 pandemic added to that urgency. Now the incoming Trump administration is on a mission to bring efficiency and savings to the federal government, and they're looking at the work of a small independent agency that helps get rid of underutilized federal buildings. Federal News Network's Jory Heckman has more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When it first entered the White House, the Biden administration had to grapple with the infamous solar winds cyber attack. That incident became a galvanizing force for federal cyber initiatives under the Biden White House. Well, now the hack known as Salt Typhoon, a big intrusion into U.S. telecommunications networks looks like the incoming Trump administration's first big cyber challenge, Federal News Network's Justin Doubleday joins me with the latest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Federal procurement is undergoing a transformation, with a focus on effective software licensing to overcome past challenges. A notable government-wide deal with Microsoft is on the horizon, promising significant improvements. Spending on IT contracts is rising sharply, now exceeding $42 billion, reflecting a shift toward service-based acquisitions. Additionally, the Transactional Data Reporting initiative aims to boost data quality and participation among small businesses, while insights on leadership highlight the value of authenticity and team welfare.

Members of Congress get, on average, three requests per day to help them with federal bureaucratic issues. A thousand requests a year. That means nearly half a million queries hitting federal agencies every year. My next guest got an assignment from the Administrative Conference of the United States. It wanted to explore ways to improve how agencies respond to congressional casework queries. With what he found, Boston University associate professor Sean Kealy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever wanted to take a career break? Its an attractive idea, but at some point you might want to come back into the government. A bill sponsored by Virginia Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton would establish what it calls a first-ever returnship program. Congresswoman Wexton joins me now with details. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today on the Federal Drive with Tom Temin A bill to help former feds return to the government A better approach to dealing with requests from congressional casework Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Defense Department is sunsetting its year old Task Force Lima. Its task was to examine large language models and establish the AI rapid capability cell known as the arc. Well now the ARC will lead the department's efforts to deliver next generation AI capabilities. Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis brings us the latest tell us more about ARC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Social Security Fairness Act is inching even closer to passage. At a rally in front of the Capitol building this week, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer committed to bringing the bill to a floor vote, and that's after the legislation to repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset, WEP and GPO cleared the House last month. Federal News Network's Drew Friedman was at this week's rally. She joins me now with the latest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices