Government Matters

Top federal government stories from 2021

Jory Heckman, reporter at Federal News Network, and Jack Fitzpatrick, reporter at Bloomberg Government, discuss Federal Data Strategy, the earmarking process reintroduction and other top stories from this year

Leo Shane III, deputy editor at Military Times, Natalie Alms, reporter at Federal Computer Week, and Kevin Bogardus, reporter at E&E News, share what they think were the top federal news stories of the year

Top defense stories from 2021

Howard Altman, senior managing editor at Military Times, and Valerie Insinna, reporter at Breaking Defense, review major stories including the Afghanistan withdrawal and transition to the Biden administration

Labor Department modernizing technology platforms

Michele Evermore, deputy director of policy in the Office of Unemployment Insurance Modernization at the Department of Labor, discusses progress her office has made on an effort to identify and address problems with unemployment insurance systems across states

FEMA’s role in responding to rising flood risks

Alicia Puente Cackley, director of financial markets and community investment at the Government Accountability Office, explains why the National Flood Insurance Program is on the High Risk List and how GAO recommends FEMA address it

Trends increasing for public mistrust in government

Max Stier, president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, explains why there has been a drop in trust in government and how agencies can help improve trust by prioritizing equity

Creating new CDAO position at the Pentagon

Robert Work, former deputy secretary of defense, discusses the creation of a new chief digital and artificial intelligence officer at the Defense Department and next steps in the coming months

Combating cyber and ransomware attacks in government

Bob Bigman, founder of 2BSecure, discusses the importance of cybersecurity incident reporting legislation and ways to ensure privacy of company data

Recent trends in defense acquisition spending

Gregory Sanders, deputy director and fellow for the Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group at CSIS, discusses the increase in defense contract obligations, the role of other transactions and long-term acquisition priorities

Pentagon responding to adversarial missile tests

Chris Stone, senior fellow for space studies in the Spacepower Advantage Research Center at the Mitchell Institute, discusses how the Defense Department can respond to Russia’s and China’s improving anti-satellite weapons system capabilities

Impacts of AI on federal agencies

Darrell West, vice president of governance studies at the Brookings Institution, explains the threats artificial intelligence poses right now and the way it will change warfare in the future

Tech challenges at VA Office of Information & Technology

Paul Brubaker, acting principal deputy assistant secretary at the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Information and Technology, discusses how his office responded to the pandemic early on and is addressing infrastructure limitations to improve system effectiveness

Responding to latest weapons tests from North Korea

David Choi, news reporter for Stars and Stripes, discusses talks between the United States and South Korea to update operational plans after new weapons tests from North Korea

Enhancing communication between agencies, IG offices

Courtney Bublé, staff correspondent at Government Executive, discusses new guidance from the Biden administration for agencies to improve communication and coordination with inspectors general

Charlotte Burrows, chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), talks artificial intelligence bias in hiring and workplace discrimination, harassment and retaliation. Other topics she covers:

-Employer education and support initiatives

-Process for filing a complaint with the EEOC

-Online harassment during the Covid-19 pandemic

-Disability accommodations

-White House executive orders and the Biden administration's focus on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility

-The #MeToo movement and issues of inequality in America

Cyber risks for submarine cables

Justin Sherman, nonresident fellow for the Cyber Statecraft Initiative at the Atlantic Council, discusses the need to ensure the security of a wide network of undersea communication cables powering most global internet traffic

The latest on Enterprise Risk Management at TSP

Kim Weaver, director of external affairs at the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, talks about the board’s process for evaluating and addressing risk and the latest risk scores for different categories

Vaccine mandate non-compliance disciplinary action to start next year

Lisa Rein, federal government reporter for the Washington Post, provides an update on the employee vaccine mandate and timeline for disciplinary action from agencies

DEVCOM and the future of work

John Willison, deputy to the commanding general of U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, discusses the three-phased future of work initiative his command is implementing and its reception by employees

Negotiating a nuclear deal with Iran

Richard Goldberg, senior advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, discusses indirect talks in Vienna between the United States and Iran on its nuclear program

Responding to Russia’s Arctic militarization

Jim Townsend, adjunct senior fellow in the Transatlantic Security Program at the Center for a New American Security, discusses the significance of Russian militarization in the Arctic region and recommendations to prevent conflict

Implications of potential Russian attack on Ukraine

Howard Altman, senior managing editor at Military Times, provides details about the possibility of a Russian attack on Ukraine, the Pentagon’s response and the geopolitical implications

Collecting information on U.S. adversaries using data

Emily Harding, deputy director and senior fellow for the International Security Program at CSIS, discusses the types of data the United States needs to start collecting in order to combat gray zone tactics from Russia and other adversaries

Challenges for DoD’s Acquisition and Sustainment Office

Jeffrey Bialos, partner at Eversheds Sutherland and former deputy under secretary of defense for industrial affairs at the Defense Department, discusses the challenges of not having a confirmed under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment and provides recommendations for the next under secretary

Reviewing the DoD’s Climate Adaptation Plan

Richard Kidd, deputy assistant secretary of defense for environment and energy resilience at the Defense Department, discusses how the Defense Department is preparing for the increasing impacts of climate change and prioritizing environmental responsibility in its testing and training exercises