The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
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The Department of Homeland Security's year was marked by high profile immigration enforcement operations and turbulence behind the scenes. DHS also received a historic influx of new funding under the tax and reconciliation bill passed by Congress in July, but the department faces some big management challenges as it prepares for a consequential year ahead. Justin Doubleday joins me now for more on DHS Year in Review. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2025 has been a transformational year for the Defense Department. The Air Force scrapped most of its sweeping Reoptimization Initiative announced under previous leadership. The Army undertook one of its most significant acquisition and organizational reform efforts in decades. Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis joins me now to highlight some of the biggest changes that happened across the Defense Department this year. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The State Department’s Global Air Monitoring Program gave diplomats and citizens abroad real-time data on air pollution and drove transparency worldwide. Its shutdown leaves a gap with serious health and economic consequences. We’ll explore what’s at stake and what it would take to restore the program with retired foreign service officer Tahra Vose. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Few people outside the Pentagon know about the Defense Department's CyberCrime Center's Cyber Forensics Lab, but its work underpins Defense Department criminal investigations, major defense contractor cases, and even Justice Department prosecutions. Today, we’ll uncover how this team’s cutting-edge capabilities strengthen national security and redefine what’s possible in digital forensics with the lab's director, Kevin Rivera. 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 __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
New reporting shows FBI Director Kash Patel granted polygraph waivers to Deputy Director Dan Bongino and two senior aides. That's an unprecedented step in the bureau’s clearance process. William Turton of ProPublica explains what that decision means for vetting standards and oversight. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
It's Friday, December 26th, and today on the 'Best of' the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton, we're sharing conversations with some amazing people and what motivates their public service. __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
It's Thursday, December 25th, Christmas Day and today on the 'Best of" the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton, we're sharing some of our conversations with amazing people on what motivates their public service. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
After a tumultuous year for the federal workforce, many feds are in a much different position now than they were at the start of 2025. The Trump administration's workforce reductions hit some agencies harder than others, but no matter which way you slice it, the loss of 300,000 employees has significantly reshaped government. Here with more on this 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.
The Trump administration reshaped many agencies this year. But the General Services Administration became the focus point of many governmentwide changes. The Department of Government Efficiency set high cost-cutting goals for GSA. Next year, an agency watchdog take a closer look at whether it met those targets. Federal News Network’s Jory Heckman has more. 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 __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The new law exempts nontraditional defense contractors from FAR cost principles, certified cost or pricing data, and Defense Department business systems requirements, potentially affecting more than 90% of the defense industrial base. We’ll break down what this means with Dan Ramish, partner at Haynes Boone. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
From TSP contributions to investment choices and building a stronger safety net, a few smart moves now can set federal employees up for confidence all year long. Certified Financial Planner Thiago Glieger joins me with helpful hints to building a strong financial plan. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
After a year of shutdowns, cuts and uncertainty, many former federal employees are struggling with stress and identity loss. Therapy4Feds offers free and low-cost counseling to help them cope and rebuild. We’ll talk with founder Roz Beroza about why she launched the program and how people can get support. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
President Donald Trump announced last week that every service member would receive a $1,776 bonus right before Christmas. The president suggested that the money would come from excess tariff revenues. Turns out, the money is coming from funds Congress already approved to boost military housing allowance. Federal News Network Anastasia Obis has more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology drives many cyber workforce and education initiatives under the NICE program. And for the last decade, Rodney Petersen has been the familiar face in charge of leading NICE. Petersen is retiring at the start of the new year. He recently sat down with Federal News Network’s Justin Doubleday to discuss the evolution of the cyber workforce during his time in government and what comes next in the age of artificial intelligence. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The new National Defense Authorization Act spans thousands of pages, but one theme stands out: speed. The Professional Services Council says the law will accelerate delivery of critical technologies and give innovative companies a clearer path to support the warfighter. PSC President Stephanie Kostro joins us to break down what matters most, without making you read all 3,000 pages. 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 __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Diana Burley has helped define national cybersecurity standards, advised agencies and built bridges between research and practice. Now, she’s been named a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration, a milestone that reflects her impact on the future of the cybersecurity and the workforce. She joins me to offer some insights from her long career in public service. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The 2026 National Defense Authorization Act includes key protections from the Military Family Bill of Rights, a framework created by spouses and parents to guarantee safety, dignity, and transparency for those who serve alongside service members. Brandi Jones, Organizing Director at Secure Families Initiative, is here to explain what these changes mean and why families fought for them. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Agencies may soon see more robust requirements when preparing federal employees to join the Senior Executive Service. A new proposal from the Office of Personnel Management looks to reform and standardize SES candidate development programs across government. But without the right attention, planning, and resources, some say OPM’s efforts could fall flat. Federal News Network’s Drew Friedman gets more from the Partnership for Public Service’s vice president of government affairs, Jenny Mattingley. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Vendors who file frivolous bid protests will now be held more accountable under a provision in the 2026 defense authorization bill. The “loser pays” language is trying to actively discourage incumbent contractors from filing protests just to keep getting paid. New data from the Government Accountability Office shows vendors are becoming more discerning when it comes to filing complaints, seemingly making this new language less necessary. Federal News Network executive editor Jason Miller joins me to discuss the current bid protest landscape. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate is accepting applications for its HS-POWER internship program. The program offers hands-on work on mission-critical technologies with DHS mentors. Here to tell us more about the program and the January 5th application deadline, is Deputy Director, Office of University Programs at the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate, Jennifer Foley. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
This year brought sweeping changes to how agencies and contractors secure sensitive data, from the rollout of CMMC to tighter restrictions on controlled unclassified information. Townsend Bourne, Partner at Shepherd Mullin, explains why 2025 was a turning point and what it means for risk management going forward. 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 __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Before recess, lawmakers moved a few priorities forward but also left major challenges behind. Deputy News Director for Bloomberg Government, Loren Duggan, joins us with the scorecard and the stakes for January. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The Treasury Department is officially suspending Direct File, a free online tax filing platform the IRS launched last year. The department said it’s exploring alternatives. That includes strengthening its partnership with tax preparation companies through its Free File program. Direct File expanded to 25 states during this year’s filing season and saw higher favorability scores. But Treasury said the program cost too much and didn’t see enough usage to keep scaling it up. For more on what happens next, Federal News Network’s Jory Heckman spoke with the CEO of Code for America, Amanda Renteria. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The future at the Federal Emergency Management Agency remains murky after the Trump administration recently delayed a long-anticipated report from the FEMA Review Council. The uncertainty around the council’s recommendations cap a year of flux at FEMA. Federal News Network’s Justin Doubleday joins me 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 bipartisan package that ended the shutdown includes measures to upgrade legislative operations, from a Data Map for AI readiness to Case Compass for smarter constituent service. Danielle Stewart of POPVOX Foundation explains how these changes tackle Congress’s “pacing problem” and what comes next. 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 __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
