Where the federal acquisition system can possibly head next

Over the past year, there’s been a major uptick in the government’s use of the False Claims Act to take companies to task for cybersecurity violations. The Trump administration has announced six separate False Claims Act settlements. And enforcement has been especially aggressive for companies who do business with the Defense Department. Sara McLean is a former assistant director of the fraud section in the Justice Department’s Commercial Litigation Branch. She talked with Federal News Network’s Jason Miller about the enforcement trend.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’s “deferred resignation program” this year led to more than 150,000 employees leaving their jobs, in exchange for months of paid leave. But for many of those who took the DRP, the offer came with an added opportunity. Thousands also qualified for early retirement. Federal News Network’s Drew Friedman spent the last several months conducting interviews, reviewing documents, and gathering data about federal retirement processing. She found that the DRP helped lead to a massive and unexpected surge in applications, now inundating the government’s retirement systems.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The electro industry powers everything from national security to AI leadership, but a shortage of skilled workers threatens progress. The National Electrical Manufacturers' Association sees veterans as the solution and backs the Veterans Energy Transition Act to make it happen. We’ll explore the stakes and the bill with Peter Ferrell, senior director of government relations at NEMA.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 A final regulation issued on Halloween has reshaped the Public Student Loan Forgiveness programA new bill could turn military experience into energy-sector strength Defense, health care, oversight and spending; these four fronts are exposing deep divides on Capitol HillSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Department of Education has finalized regulations that redefine Public Student Loan Forgiveness eligibility, barring organizations with a “substantial illegal purpose.” Randall Thomas, Partner at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius explains what this means for borrowers, employers and compliance going forward.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From the NDAA fight over helicopter flights near Reagan National to stalled health care extensions, unfinished oversight on a deadly boat strike and nine spending bills still hanging in the balance, Congress is juggling high-stakes battles with no easy compromises. Mitchell Miller, Capitol Hill correspondent for WTOP, is here with the fault lines shaping the final stretch of the year.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

More than a dozen federal statistical agencies are falling behind on producing high-quality data sets that impact the U.S. economy and government policy. The American Statistical Association finds changes under the Trump administration have led to certain public-facing data sets being delayed, suspended or canceled. It’s also flagging declines public trust scores in data sets produced by the federal government. 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.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency doesn’t want to leave companies hanging when they reach out with a bold new innovation or tech development. So CISA this month unveiled its “Industry Engagement Platform,” where people can sign up to communicate directly with agency officials. For more on the new platform, Federal News Network’s Justin Doubleday spoke with the chief information officer at CISA, Bob Costello.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 New rules in the NDAA aim to cut red tape in defense contracting—but will they deliver? Federal leaders face the challenge of restoring stability and agency performance after months of workforce disruptionSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Months of disruption have left some federal employees disengaged and others burned out. Laurin Parthemos of Kotter explains what leaders must do to restore stability and psychological safety and find a "new normal" going forward.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.