The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

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Army’s social media exit could hurt small contractors Aug 10, 2026

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The Army's decision to consolidate its official social media accounts is raising concerns well beyond public affairs. Small businesses that rely on LinkedIn, X and other platforms to track contracting opportunities, connect with program offices and learn about new requirements say they could lose a key entry point into the acquisition process. The move comes as Army leaders continue urging nontraditional companies and commercial firms to do business with the service. Federal News Network's Rachel Cohen has more on what this could mean for the defense industrial base.

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The government can track an award from Washington to a state government. Following it is often where the trail goes cold Aug 10, 2026

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Federal spending transparency has been a bipartisan goal for nearly two decades, and USAspending.gov was built to help taxpayers follow the money. But a new report from the Project on Government Oversight suggests that much of the accountability challenge begins after dollars leave federal agencies and move through states and other intermediaries. Joining me to explain what government can and can't see today is Sean Moulton, senior policy analyst at POGO.

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The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Monday, August 10, 2026 Aug 10, 2026

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Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

As Washington debates the future of the civil service, one legal scholar argues that a professional career workforce is more consistent with conservative principles than many people think
The federal government can track an award from Washington to a state government. Following it the rest of the way is often where the trail goes cold.
Before heading home for August, the Senate cleared a few items that could have lasting consequences

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One legal scholar argues that a professional career workforce is more consistent with conservative principles than many people think Aug 10, 2026

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Much of today's civil service debate focuses on giving presidents greater control over the federal workforce. But if you go back to some core conservative principles, the case for a professional, merit-based civil service becomes stronger, not weaker. Joining me to make that case is Christopher Walker, professor of law at the University of Michigan.

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FEMA staffing cuts lacked strategy, hit regional staff hardest Aug 07, 2026

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The Trump administration pledged to shift the Federal Emergency Management Agency away from a “bloated, DC-centric dead weight.” But FEMA’s regions, not its Washington headquarters, bore the brunt of workforce cuts that happened without any strategic planning. That’s according to the latest Government Accountability Office report on FEMA’s workforce challenges. Federal News Network’s Justin Doubleday joins me for more.

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DoD pulls independent testing office’s public reports from its website Aug 07, 2026

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The Pentagon’s independent weapons testing office has pulled decades of unclassified annual reports from its public website, arguing that artificial intelligence would allow foreign adversaries to combine publicly available information into detailed assessments of U.S. military vulnerabilities. Federal News Network’s Anastasia Obis has more.

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Some contractors got CMMC certified early, now the implementation is on hold at their expense Aug 07, 2026

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Government often relies on industry to invest ahead of future requirements. The recent pause in CMMC implementation is raising questions about how contractors weigh risk, cost and the value of moving first. Here with one company's perspective are Angie Lienert and Jeremiah Jensen of IntelliGenesis.

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The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Friday, August 7, 2026 Aug 07, 2026

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Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

Most people don't think about cybersecurity when they turn on the tap, but the same remote connections that help utility operators monitor and maintain critical systems can also create opportunities for cyber attackers
Some contractors got CMMC certified early, investing before they had to. Now that implementation is on hold, they're asking whether moving first still pays

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Remote connections that help operators monitor critical systems create opportunities for cyber attackers Aug 07, 2026

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Keeping water systems running requires remote access for monitoring, maintenance, and vendor support. Securing those connections has become a growing priority for utilities that rely on operational technology every day. A new NIST guide offers practical approaches for doing that. Here to discuss it is CheeYee Tang, an electronic engineer at NIST.

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Trump administration creates new commission on military spouses Aug 06, 2026

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Military spouses have long faced challenges that come with frequent moves, career disruptions and balancing family life during deployments. Now, a new White House executive order creates the President's Military Spouse Commission, a panel charged with developing recommendations on issues ranging from employment and child care to health care, education and housing. The administration says the commission will give military spouses a direct voice in shaping federal policy, but questions remain about what authority it will have and how quickly it can deliver results. Federal News Network's Rachel Cohen joins us with more.

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