The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

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Congress seemed close to resolving several key issues until the White House stepped in, so what happens now? Jun 29, 2026

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Congress appeared to be closing in on several major issues last week, before the White House shifted the dynamics in a way that could change what comes next. Now lawmakers are reassessing both timing and substance. For a look at where things stand, we turn to Mitchell Miller, Capitol Hill correspondent for WTOP.

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When there’s broad agreement on disaster response reform, why does action still stall? Jun 29, 2026

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Competing FEMA reorganization proposals are now on the table, and there’s actually surprising alignment on what needs to change, but no final plan. That raises a more urgent question: how ready will the agency be when the next major disaster hits? Andy Winkler of the Bipartisan Policy Center joins us with a look at what’s at stake.

Read the report here: https://bipartisanpolicy.org/issue-brief/fema-reform-comparing-the-review-councils-recommendations-and-congressional-proposals/

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The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Monday, June 29, 2026 Jun 29, 2026

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Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

When there’s broad agreement on disaster response reform, why does action still stall?
The Postal Service has the authority to expand into government services, so why hasn’t it acted?
Congress seemed close to resolving several key issues until the White House stepped in, so what happens now?

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USPS staves off immediate cash crisis, but warns of continuing financial woes Jun 26, 2026

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The Postal Service has pushed back an immediate cash crisis by delaying payments to employee retirement plans. But Postmaster General David Steiner warned lawmakers this week that USPS’ long-term financial problems are far from solved. For the latest, Federal News Network’s Justin Doubleday joins me.

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Army Corps restructuring of value engineering program prompts backlash Jun 26, 2026

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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is reorganizing its long-standing value engineering program by shifting it from a separate activity and folding it into existing project delivery processes. Critics warn the move would increase the risk of waste, cost growth and schedule overruns and one organization has urged the Defense Department to immediately reverse the decision. For more, Federal News Network’s Anastasia Obis spoke with Rob Stewart, SAVE International immediate past president.

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Some of the biggest fiscal problems facing the government aren’t surprises, they’re warnings we’ve chosen to live with Jun 26, 2026

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The latest social security trustees report doesn’t break new ground, but it does move up the timeline for when the trust fund starts to run out of money. And it raises a basic question: if we’ve known this was coming, why hasn’t anything changed? Joining me to walk through the politics and the process of fixing social security is the Executive Vice President of Policy at the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, Brett Loper.

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The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, June 26, 2026 Jun 26, 2026

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Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

As America approaches its 250th anniversary, a new book points back to one of the founders’ most important ideas, prevention
Some of the biggest fiscal problems facing the government aren’t surprises, they’re warnings we’ve chosen to live with
There’s no perfect answer to when to claim Social Security, but there are real consequences to getting it wrong

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There’s no perfect answer to when to claim Social Security, but there are real consequences to getting it wrong Jun 26, 2026

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The choice to claim Social Security benefits early or delay them comes down to balancing immediate income against long‑term security. That decision often hinges on factors people can’t know for sure, especially how long they’ll live. Here to walk through what people should be weighing is Thiago Glieger, a certified financial planner with RMG Advisors.

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As America approaches its 250th anniversary, a new book points back to one of the founders’ most important ideas, prevention Jun 26, 2026

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When you think of Benjamin Franklin, you probably think invention or diplomacy, but Dr. Barry Davis says Franklin’s real legacy may be something more fundamental: the idea that a free society survives by acting before problems become crises. That concept shaped how early American institutions were built, and it still has relevance for how we think about public systems today. Dr. Davis joins me now to share his new book, "The Preventioneers."

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Trump’s pick for defense acquisition deputy lacks traditional resume Jun 25, 2026

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The Senate Armed Services Committee is holding a hearing today to consider four nominees for senior Pentagon and intelligence positions, key jobs given that the Defense Department is managing a record $1.5 trillion budget request with big plans for its space and intel capabilities. The four nominees are Jay Hurst, tapped to be the Pentagon's comptroller; Matt O'Malley, nominated as the deputy overseeing defense acquisition and sustainment; Roger Mason, who would lead the National Reconnaissance Office, the spy agency that builds and operates America's intelligence satellites; and Erich Hernandez-Baquero, who would become the Department of the Air Force's top official for space acquisition. Today's hearing helps move the needle on the many national security vacancies that persist across the Trump administration. Federal News Network's Rachel Cohen joins me with more.

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