The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

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Trump administration to let agencies promote federal employees more quickly Oct 23, 2026

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Agencies will soon get leeway to promote federal employees more quickly. That’s after the Office of Personnel Management published a final rule eliminating a longstanding “time in grade” requirement. Starting in January, employees will no longer have to serve in their current paygrade for a year before becoming eligible for a promotion. Federal News Network’s Drew Friedman discussed the changes in an exclusive interview with OPM Director Scott Kupor.

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Senate lawmakers press Pentagon for greater price transparency Oct 23, 2026

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A bipartisan group of lawmakers is pressing the Pentagon to explain how it will obtain cost and pricing data from defense contractors, including for contracts below a $10 million threshold. The lawmakers say recent changes could limit the department’s ability to negotiate fair prices. Federal News Network’s Anastasia Obis has more.

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A recent Justice Department settlement sends a clear message to contractors: cybersecurity liability doesn't necessarily start with a breach Oct 23, 2026

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Many contractors assume cybersecurity enforcement begins after sensitive information is compromised. A recent settlement suggests the government may be focused just as much on whether contractors accurately represent their compliance in the first place. Here to explain what that means is Michael Volkov, CEO of The Volkov Law Group.

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A court has temporarily halted plans affecting the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center Oct 23, 2026

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A court has temporarily stopped efforts to close the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center. For Congressman Glenn Ivey, the dispute raises broader questions about congressional priorities, agency actions, and preserving the expertise government depends on to carry out its mission. He joins me now.

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Federal employees nearing retirement often get conflicting advice about what to do with their TSP accounts. Before making a rollover decision, it's worth knowing which factors actually matter Oct 23, 2026

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For many federal employees, the biggest retirement decision isn't when to retire. It's what to do with the money they've accumulated in the Thrift Savings Plan. To walk through the tradeoffs between staying in the TSP and moving to an IRA, I'm joined by certified financial planner Thiago Glieger of RMG Advisors.

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The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, October 23, 2026 Oct 23, 2026

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Coming up on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

A recent Justice Department settlement sends a clear message to contractors: cybersecurity liability doesn't necessarily start with a breach
A court has temporarily halted plans affecting the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center. Congressman Glenn Ivey says the real issue is whether government is losing expertise and capabilities that can't easily be rebuilt
Federal employees nearing retirement often get conflicting advice about what to do with their TSP accounts. Before making a rollover decision, it's worth knowing which factors actually matter

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

DISA faces another protest over Enclave contract expansion Oct 22, 2026

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The Defense Information Systems Agency’s decision to expand the scope of the Defense Enclave Services contract is being challenged again. Federal News Network’s Anastasia Obis has more.

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FAA AI use sparks new reviews into AI safety, workforce shortages Oct 22, 2026

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The Federal Aviation Administration 's use of artificial intelligence is coming under fire from its inspector general and Capitol Hill. The scrutiny comes as the agency is also struggling with a staffing shortage. Federal News Network reporter Silvia Oakland joins me to talk more about why members of Congress are expressing their concern.

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Federal employees are protected if they refuse an illegal order. Most of them may not know it Oct 22, 2026

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The Follow the Rules Act, signed by President Trump in 2017, prohibits federal agencies from firing, demoting, or punishing employees who refuse to carry out orders that violate the law. The authors of a recent Brookings commentary argue that many federal workers remain unaware of those protections and the obligations that come with them. Joining me are the authors, and long-time civil servants, Sean O'Keefe and Josh Gotbaum.

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It's hard to know whether research investments are paying off if the systems used to measure results keep changing Oct 22, 2026

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Federal policymakers rely on data to understand whether research funding is producing discoveries, technologies, and other public benefits. But many of the databases, surveys, and measurement systems used to track those outcomes are evolving themselves, making it harder to compare results over time. Joining me for this month's Data Dish are Denice Ross, Director of the Data Policy Institute at the Federation of American Scientists, and Christopher Marcum, Senior Advisor for Federal Data Policy.

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