The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
About
Available on
Community
13571 episodes
The Trump administration’s effort to cap the fees charged by value‑added resellers appears to be slowing down. The General Services Administration has put out a new request for information, and that pause is giving some vendors relief that the agency is taking more time to understand the market. For more on what the RFI signals and how industry is reacting, Federal News Network 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.
After a year of talks with industry on how to improve the program, FedRAMP is turning inward. Leaders of the government’s cloud security assessment program say they’re increasing their engagements with federal agencies and the Office of Management and Budget as they continue to work toward a faster, less costly version of the program, called “FedRAMP 20 X.” But they say they’ve already made significant improvements, and with a smaller budget. Here's Federal News Network's Jared Serbu with the details. 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.
AI promises speed, but efficiency isn’t democracy’s goal. Michael Livermore, Professor of Law and Co-Director of the LawTech Center at the University of Virginia, explains why ignoring that tension could reshape governance in troubling ways. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
A new limited‑edition bobblehead set is celebrating America’s 250th in a fun, historic way. It turns the Declaration of Independence into a collectible featuring key Founding Fathers. We’re talking about the idea behind it with Phil Sklar, co‑founder and CEO of the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The IRS says it’s ready for this year’s filing season which began on Monday. But the agency faces a slew of challenges. A looming government shutdown would limit its ability to serve taxpayers. The agency also missed several key hiring goal for the filing season and is scaling back expectations for how many calls from taxpayers it will answer. 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.
After spending five years and tens of millions of dollars developing a new travel management system, the Defense Department abruptly scrapped the effort in 2023 and reverted to the legacy Defense Travel System it was meant to replace. A government watchdog looked into why the program failed and how the Pentagon can avoid repeating the same mistakes. For more, Federal News Network’s Anastasia Obis spoke with Vijay D'Souza, Director of GAO’s Information Technology and Cybersecurity. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
From pandemics to AI disruption, foresight helps agencies anticipate what’s next. But a new report finds that capability is shrinking fast across the federal government. Here to share what’s behind the trend and what’s at stake are Kara Cunzeman and Robin Champ. They are co-founders, along with Suzette Brooks-Masters, of the Federal Foresight Advocacy Alliance (FFAA) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Executive orders on energy dominance are reshaping defense priorities. We’ll explore how public-private partnerships, federal land leasing and emerging tech like microgrids can strengthen military energy resilience, with Tom Holm, Executive Director of the Energy Defense Council. 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.
Beyond funding debates, federal workers are facing big shifts in how performance is measured and retirement claims are processed. From Schedule Policy/Career implementation to tackling a growing retirement backlog at OPM, we’ll explore what’s changing and what it means with John Hatton of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE). See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The hits keep coming for federal consulting contractors. First, the Trump administration questioned the value of these types of contracts, leading to a significant reduction in existing deals and the slow down of awards of new solicitations. Now the Treasury Department is taking aim specifically at one of the biggest vendors. Treasury cancelled all 31 of its contracts with Booz Allen Hamilton. For more on why Treasury is taking these actions and what it means for the consulting market more broadly, Federal News Network 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.
The homeland security spending bill is now at the heart of Congress’s latest shutdown fight. And that bill would solidify cuts made by the Trump administration to three Department of Homeland Security oversight offices. For more, Federal News network’s Justin Doubleday joins me. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Long before anyone talks about a “golden fleet,” the starting point matters and today’s shipbuilding base is running well below the level political rhetoric implies. Capacity is strained, delivery timelines keep slipping, and shifting requirements make it even harder for industry to plan or invest. We’ll map the gap between ambition and what’s actually achievable with Seamus Daniels, a Fellow in Defense Budget Analysis at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. 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.
A recent report from GAO finds widespread structural and safety issues in public libraries, with 61% reporting health hazards and most struggling to fund repairs. David Marroni, Director, Physical Infrastructure, GAO explains what’s driving the problem and what solutions are on the table. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The Change the Air Foundation recently found that nearly 97% of service members reported at least one significant problem in their military-provided home — with mold, mildew and water damage cited most frequently. Now, a bipartisan group of lawmakers is pushing for meaningful protections for military families, including holding private military housing companies financially responsible for the health and safety of the homes they lease on military bases. 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 Veterans Affairs is officially lifting a hiring freeze on its health care workforce after shedding tens of thousands of positions last year. But the VA which saw its first-ever workforce net decrease is unlikely to hire its way to a higher headcount than what is currently has. Senate Democrats say VA facilities are still facing strict staffing caps as the department moves ahead with its reorganization. Federal News Network's Jory Heckman is here 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.
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.
Congress has cleared the FY 2026 Commerce, Justice, and Science appropriations bill, rejecting proposed cuts to major science and research agencies and adding new oversight requirements on how federal funds are spent. We’ll talk about what that funding signals about congressional priorities, how it affects agencies like NASA, NOAA, and NIST, and why oversight has become a central focus as agencies move to execute their budgets. Joining us is Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The Defense Department is sending two clear signals to the contracting community this month: it’s reviewing large 8(a) contracts, and it’s reshaping how innovation moves through the Pentagon. We’ll walk through what’s under review, what’s changing in the innovation ecosystem, and what industry should be paying attention to right now with Jim Carroll, CEO of the Professional Services Council. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Tomorrow night, the National Academy of Public Administration will present the Elliot L. Richardson Prize for Excellence in Public Service, an award rooted in a legacy of integrity and constitutional courage. Ahead of the ceremony, we’re talking about why Richardson’s example still matters, what the prize is meant to honor, and why this year’s recipients, Janet Yellen and Gary Locke, reflect that standard of service. Joining us is James‑Christian Blockwood, President and CEO of the National Academy of Public Administration. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The economics of drone operations are about to change. One operator supervising ten autonomous aircraft could redefine cost and margin for delivery and inspection. That future hinges on Part 108, a proposed FAA/TSA rule that moves what are currently waiver-only experiments to a national standard. Here to break down the implications is James McDanolds, Program Chair at Sonoran Desert Institute’s School of Uncrewed Technology. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
For government oversight and accountability officials, 2025 was a year of deep change and uncertainty. President Donald Trump fired inspectors general, removed the heads of independent agencies, and sought to reduce the level of internal oversight within government. But members of the oversight community say their job is more important than ever as they prepare for challenges both near and long term. Federal News Network’s Justin Doubleday reports. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Governmentwide, agencies saw a loss of about 320,000 federal employees over the course of 2025. As he marked one year in office, President Trump called those cuts to the federal workforce “tremendous.” But good government groups are painting a much darker picture of what’s to come. Here with more, 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.
With House spending bills finished, the spotlight turns to what Congress tackles next from health care funding and ACA subsidies, to renewed crypto legislation, and early plans for a sweeping 2026 reconciliation package aimed at lowering costs. Sorting through those priorities and what they mean for the months ahead is Mitchell Miller, congressional and health policy reporter. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The SBA, Pentagon, and Treasury are running simultaneous audits of the 8(a) program, each targeting different risks but all aimed at restoring integrity to a system the administration says has been widely misused. The scale of the oversight is something the contracting community hasn’t seen before. We'll explore what ties these reviews together and what contractors might expect with Emily Murphy, senior Fellow at the George Mason University Baroni Center for Government Contracting and a Former GSA Administrator. 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.
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.
While Congress is largely backing the Defense Department’s efforts to overhaul its acquisition system, lawmakers are pushing back on some of the Pentagon’s reform requests. They are also concerned that the department's workforce cuts will cripple its ability to implement the reform agenda. Federal News Network’s 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.
