Federal Newscast

The Veterans Affairs Department added 15 new or updated features to its electronic health records system just ahead of two new rollouts. VA says the updates began at the end of September. Among the changes, clinicians can now see vital signs, documentation, orders and key events on one streamlined timeline. VA says that supports faster, more informed decision making in urgent situations. Another feature lets ultrasound images flow directly into the federal EHR, which VA says will reduce duplicate tests and give clinicians timely access to diagnostic information. VA says it will roll out the EHR to facilities in Alaska and Cleveland starting next week. 

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A federal union is calling on Congress to intervene in the Small Business Administration’s planned office relocations. The American Federation of Government Employees says SBA’s relocations should all be paused, at least until the agency releases more information about its plans. SBA has been looking to relocate offices in Washington, D.C., Boston, Atlanta and Denver, along with several other cities. In a letter to congressional committee leaders this week, AFGE alleges that SBA has not fully analyzed how the relocations will affect public-facing services or the possibility of employees quitting.

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Five overarching goals will define agencies’ hiring strategies for the next couple of years. The Trump administration is calling for skills-based assessments, expanded outreach, transparency and digitization, pooled hiring and data-driven decisions. The Office of Personnel Management’s new strategic recruitment plan for 2026-28 comes as OPM is also pushing for increased hiring of tech talent, as well as younger employees. 

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The top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is ringing alarm bells over waste, fraud and abuse at the Department of Homeland Security. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., wants DHS to provide answers to seven questions regarding how it has spent the $260 billion it received under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and the Secure America Act. Peters says recent reporting and the agency's lack of cooperation with its inspector general cast doubt on DHS's management of the funding. Among other things, Peters wants to know how DHS is ensuring accountability and transparency in its spending. 

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A new bill would require federal agencies to improve air quality and make upgrades to properties to reduce "heat islands." Congressman James Walkinshaw says the bill is inspired by the efforts his Virginia district made over the summer to execute "heat island" reduction plans. Agencies would need to create a plan to reduce surface temperatures and building cooling demand. The bill specifically targets federal properties and facilities across the country that are in areas that do not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone. Under the bill, agencies would need to create a plan to reduce surface temperatures and building cooling demand along with identifying opportunities that decrease temperatures.

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The State Department is opening up applications for its Lateral Entry Pilot Program, which is seeking to hire mid-career employees for the Foreign Service. The American Foreign Service Association says State has more than 2 thousand qualified people waiting to be hired. AFSA says that is how many employees who worked for the U.S. Agency for International Development and Foreign Service that State fired in 2025. The association says State should offer these officers a path back at grades that recognize their experience and prior service, without unnecessary entrance exams. AFSA also says Congress can help by passing the PATH to the Foreign Service Act and Foreign Service Test-Free Reentry Act.

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New details on workforce declines at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Government Accountability Office says HUD lost 29% of its workforce in 2025. A new report finds a majority of the departing employees left through DOGE’s deferred resignation program. In 2025, HUD hired roughly 69% fewer employees than the previous year. Since the start of this year, HUD has added only 120 employees to the workforce. HUD has not responded to GAO’s request for information about the office closures and workforce numbers the report identified.

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The Office of Personnel Management and the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud are partnering to hire the next cohort of the US Tech Force. The two-year program will place applicants across agencies, including the General Services Administration, the Social Security Administration, the Office of Personnel Management, the Department of Health and Human Services, the State and Treasury departments. Vice President JD Vance says the partnership will help the government identify fraud, waste and abuse and reduce reliance on foreign technological advancements. Tech Force positions are open to the public and federal employees through career transition and reinstatement programs. The job announcement closes October 23.

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A new bill to supercharge customer service at the IRS made it through the Senate. The bipartisan Taxpayer Assistance and Service (TAS) Act would require the agency to create an online dashboard for tax filers and improve other online features like the Where’s my Refund tool. The measures are intended to cut down on the number of calls and letters employees have to respond to. The bill is based on previous legislation co-sponsored by Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA). If passed by the House as is, the bill would also recommend that IRS provide a call-back option for all calls that go unanswered for five minutes.

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The Coast Guard has surpassed its recruiting goals for the third consecutive year, bringing in the largest number of enlisted recruits in nearly four decades. The service enlisted 5,445 active-duty members in fiscal 2026, up from the 5,204 enlisted members recruited in fiscal 2025. It also commissioned 346 active-duty officers. To expand its recruiting presence, the service opened four recruiting offices in Miami, Florida, Long Island, New York, Austin, Texas and in the Netherlands. In addition, the Coast Guard awarded a $400 million contract to modernize its training center in Cape May, New Jersey.

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