The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

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.

Hundreds of thousands of federal employees are showing up to work and not getting paid on time during the second longest government shutdown. State Department employees who process passports are among those working without pay. That's an unusual step, because that part of the agency is fee funded, and it can normally pay staff on time during a lapse in congressional funds. Federal News Network's Jory Heckman has been covering this issue, and he joins us now 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 Small Business Administration acted in record time to suspend ATI Government Solutions from federal contracting. SBA made the decision the day after a video emerged from the O'Keefe Media Group, a right wing activist organization, showing that an official from ATI admitted to defrauding the SBA is eight a program for more on the broader implications of the ATI suspension. Federal News Network executive editor Jason Miller joins us now to discuss.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Trump administration’s sweeping cuts to federal grants are triggering a wave of legal challenges, especially from nonprofits and research institutions. And more cases are landing in the Court of Federal Claims. Here to explain why, and what funding recipients need to know before they sue is partner at Jenner & Block, David Robbins.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From program design to policy evaluation, social scientists offer methods and insights that could strengthen federal decision-making. But institutional barriers and cultural divides still keep many of them on the sidelines. Joining me to explain what government is missing and how to fix it is the Herbert H. Lehman Professor of Government at Columbia University, Alexander Hertel-Fernandez.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 GertonEngaging more social scientists could help government programs work better and deliver more Grant terminations are rising and federal funding recipients may need to head to court Big contract compliance burdens...aren't just a problem for contractorsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This year, there's been a lot of focus on streamining the Federal Acquisition Regulation as the Trump administration moves through its big FAR overhaul project. But increasingly, the burdens of an overcomplicated acquisition system aren't just an issue for traditional government contractors. It's becoming a bigger and bigger topic for academic institutions too. To dig into that topic, I talked with Aron Beezley. He's the head of the government contracts practice group at the law firm Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Environmental Protection Agency is deepening its work with water utilities on cyber security issues. The EPA has recently launched a program to scan for Internet exposed devices at water and wastewater facilities. That work comes amid rising concerns about nation state hackers targeting water systems and other critical infrastructure for more Federal News Network's Justin Doubleday is here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With open season just around the corner, rising premiums may be top of mind for enrollees in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, but there are a number of other changes that employees and annuitants will want to be aware of for Plan Year 2026 that includes several plans entering or leaving FEHB, as well as benefits changes across the government's insurance programs. For more, Federal News Network's Drew Friedman recently sat down with the Director of Marketing and Fundraising at Consumers Checkbook, Kevin Moss. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We've spent a lot of time over the past month talking about how the government shutdown is affecting executive branch agencies. But it's a big issue for the federal judicial branch too. The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts recently announced the judiciary has exhausted the funding it needs to keep all court operations up and running. So courts are having to make choices about what activities continue during a shutdown. Nick Boyle is partner at the law firm Latham and Watkins. He's here to talk more about those impacts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.