The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

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One taxpayer's effort to solve an IRS problem led to a much larger question about how the agency is functioning today Aug 19, 2026

Show notes

A routine IRS problem sent reporter Stephanie Mencimer looking for answers. What she found was a growing concern among tax practitioners, taxpayer advocates and former agency officials about how the agency is functioning. Stephanie joins me now to share her experience and her findings.

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

The Postal Service has long delivered ballots. Increasingly, policymakers want it to play a larger role in how ballots are validated and counted Aug 19, 2026

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The Postal Service has traditionally served as neutral infrastructure during elections, moving ballots from voters to election officials. But changes in election law, postmark requirements and voter verification debates are placing new demands on the agency. Elena (ELL-eh-nah) Patel of the Brookings Institution joins me now to discuss what that shift could mean for the Postal Service and the election system.

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

The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, August 19, 2026 Aug 19, 2026

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Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

One taxpayer's effort to solve an IRS problem led to a much larger question about how the agency is functioning today
Questions about institutional capacity aren't new. Some of the federal government's oldest obligations have long faced a gap between commitment and execution
The Postal Service has long delivered ballots. Increasingly, policymakers want it to play a larger role in how ballots are validated and counted

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

DoD changes transitional health care eligibility for reservists following lawsuit Aug 18, 2026

Show notes

The Defense Department is changing how it determines eligibility for transitional health care benefits for reserve component service members who are separating from active duty. The change comes after National Guard and Reserve members sued the Pentagon, arguing that the department had added an eligibility requirement that wasn’t in the law. Federal News Network’s Anastasia Obis 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 pace of AI adoption is accelerating the need to adopt a robust identity framework Aug 18, 2026

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For a long time now, agencies have been grappling with cybersecurity challenges around identity. But artificial intelligence is making things even more complicated. The quick pace of AI adoption – and the need to secure “non-human identities” in addition to human users – has further cemented the need for agencies to adopt a robust, modern identity framework. Jennifer Franks is director for IT and cybersecurity at the Government Accountability Office, and Manny Medrano is the director of the Global Security Operations Center at the State Department. They talked about the challenge during a panel discussion with Federal News Network’s Justin Doubleday.

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

OPM is building the federal government's next generation HR platform, ACT-IAC wanted to know what the marketplace around it looks like Aug 18, 2026

Show notes

As OPM rolls out its new governmentwide human capital platform, agencies will still need solutions for everything from recruiting and performance management to training and retirement services. To help agencies understand what's available, ACT-IAC conducted a broad review of the federal HR technology marketplace. Joining me with what they found are Jim Cook, chair of the ACT-IAC Institute for Innovation, and Gary Washington, ACT-IAC's chief strategy officer.

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

Rules about funding and cybersecurity can shape the defense market as surely as contracts do Aug 18, 2026

Show notes

The Defense Department is moving toward final decisions on cybersecurity requirements for contractors while Congress continues to debate funding priorities and possible additional spending through reconciliation. Those decisions will help shape how companies invest, compete, and plan for future government work. For the industry perspective, I spoke with Stephanie Kostro, president of the Professional Services Council.

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

Federal grants run on more than money; they run on predictable rules Aug 18, 2026

Show notes

The Office of Management and Budget is proposing changes to the rules that govern how federal grants are awarded and managed. Those rules help determine how states, universities, nonprofits and local governments plan projects that can take years to complete. Here to discuss what the proposed changes could mean is Jillian Blanchard, Senior Vice President of Climate Change and Environmental Justice at Lawyers for Good Government.

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

The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, August 18, 2026 Aug 18, 2026

Show notes

Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

OPM is building the federal government's next generation HR platform. ACT-IAC wanted to know what the marketplace around it looks like
Federal grants run on more than money. They run on predictable rules
Rules about funding and cybersecurity can shape the defense market as surely as contracts do

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

Troops can get up to $10,000 to freeze eggs under new pilot Aug 17, 2026

Show notes

A new Pentagon pilot program will give some active-duty service members a way to preserve their fertility before deployments, hazardous assignments or long periods away from their families. Starting September 14, eligible troops can be reimbursed up to $10,000 a year for egg freezing, or $500 for sperm freezing, under a three-year program created by Congress. The Defense Health Agency will use the pilot to assess participation, costs, administrative burdens and whether fertility preservation has an impact on military readiness and retention. Federal News Network's Rachel Cohen joins me with more.

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