GovExec Daily

Breaches of network and internet security are a constant threat to government operations for every agency. Foreign governments, private hackers and many bad actors in between are trying to hack government systems. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is no different and the task of securing information systems falls to Dr. Gregory Edwards, FEMA's Chief Information Security Officer.

Before his current position, Dr. Edwards joined FEMA in 2020 as the Senior Technical Advisor to the Office of the Chief Information Officer. He previously served as NATO Communications and Information Agency Director Infrastructure Services and Director of Service Operations and before joining NATO, he held executive management positions at the Defense Information Systems Agency. Dr. Edwards joined GovExec Daily to talk about information security in government.

The Super Bowl this weekend will pit the Los Angeles Rams against the Cincinnati Bengals. Championship events are targets, though, so the Homeland Security Department is deploying personnel and resources to help law enforcement in Los Angeles this week as the Super Bowl fifty six descends onto SoFI Stadium.

Courtney Bublé is a reporter at Government Executive. She joined the show to discuss the Homeland Security preparations for Super Bowl 56 in Southern California.

Four in 10 adults reported feeling symptoms of anxiety or depression, an increase from 1 in 10 that reported the same symptoms in 2019. Mental health struggles are common, they're especially in individuals in high-stress positions.

Paul Sheesley is a registered psychotherapist from the Washington DC thats worked with CEOs and politicians across the region. He joined the podcast to discuss why it is essential for individuals in high-stress positions to implement sustainable habits that bring balance to all areas of life.

Critics of the practice of asking for salary history during the hiring process suggest that doing so disproportionately affects women and candidates of color, thus perpetuating inequality. With that as a backdrop, some are disappointed that the Department of Justice advertised the creation of its chief diversity officer position on USAJOBS.com, complete with a request for the highest grade/step or salary achieved in the job history.

GovExec senior reporter Erich Wagner covers the federal workforce. He joined the podcast to talk about thhe job listing and other pay and benefits stories that he has been covering.

Last month, it was announced that the Supreme Court blocked President Biden's federal vaccine mandate that would enforce a vaccine-or-test requirement for employees at private businesses with 100 or more employees. The question will now be asked, does the government have the power to enforce this mandate for private sector employees?

John Ho is a labor and employment attorney and chair of the law firm Cozen O'Connor's OSHA Practice. He joined the show to talk about the OSHA decision and how it will affect organizations and employees.

The Merit Systems Protection Board has been without a quorum for five years, leaving thousands of current and former federal employees in limbo, unable to receive a decision on their challenges against adverse personnel actions ike whistleblower retaliation cases and unfair firings.

John P. Mahoney is an employment attorney and a former administrative judge. He has represented federal employees, unions, employee associations, contractors and agencies in cases involving federal employment law. He joined the show to talk about the state of the MSPB and what it means for federal employees.

Within the first week of his time in office last year, President Joe Biden issued an executive order implementing a set of ethics rules for his administration, following through on one of his promises around ethics while he was campaigning for office. A little more than a year later, it's worth asking how much progress has the administration made on ethics.

Courtney Bublé is a Government Executive reporter. She has a story on our site right now taking a look back at the year-plus of the Biden ethics measure. She joined the show to talk about her story and ethics in the executive branch.

The role of science in government has ebbed and flowed throughout the history of the U.S., but it has undoubtedly been integral since the National Science Foundation was formed in 1950. As innovation and scientific progress moves forward in the 21st century, NSF's mission to support science research and education becomes that much more important.

Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan is a computer scientist, engineer and the 15th director of the National Science Foundation. He previously served as the executive vice president of the Arizona State University Knowledge Enterprise, where he was also chief research and innovation officer. He joined the podcast to discuss the future of U.S. science and innovation.

Recreational marijuana is use is legal in 18 states and three U.S. territories, including the District of Columbia. But it remains illegal under federal law, thus affecting federal employees and security clearance applicants. While the director of national intelligence recently sent a memo to agency heads clarifying some of these conflicts, marijuana use can still be an issue for those looking to apply for a clearance.

Aaron Herreras Szot is an associate with Kalijarvi, Chuzi, Newman & Fitch P.C., She works with clients who are facing a wide range of security clearance matters. She's also the author of a post on GovExec.com headlined "Marijuana Use Can Still Be a Problem for Security Clearance Applicants." She joined GovExec Daily to discuss cannabis and how it can affect security clearances.

Tax season is here again and the Treasury Department warns that this year could could likely bring challenges to timely processing. What can taxpayers expect? What lessons has the IRS learned from two pandemic tax years that could improve the taxpayer experience?

Dr. Joann Weiner is an Associate Professor of Economics at George Washington University. She joined the show to discuss what makes this tax season different and how taxpayers should navigate the third tax year during COVID-19.