The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

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Federal wildland firefighters report increased burnout, low morale Jun 24, 2026

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As the summer wildfire season gets underway, federal wildland firefighters are facing an increasingly difficult situation on the job. Three out of four respondents to a recent survey say they have considered quitting within the past 12 months. That comes as the frontline workers face increasing burnout and low morale. Here with more, Federal News Network’s Drew Friedman.

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More SEWP for contractors as NASA expands total awards Jun 24, 2026

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The wait is over for more than 1,400 vendors. NASA’s SEWP program office awarded spots on its sixth iteration of its governmentwide technology contract. In all, NASA made more than 2,100 awards under this governmentwide acquisition contract for IT products and services. For more on the SEWP VI awards, Federal News Network executive editor Jason Miller joins me with details.

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Electric aircraft are coming, the rules that will allow them to fly aren’t Jun 24, 2026

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It’s not just drones pushing aviation into new territory. Electric aircraft are edging closer to commercial use, but certification is still the gatekeeper. The FAA is trying to adapt existing rules while building a longer-term framework that can scale with new designs and risks. Joining me to explain that tension is Derrick Collins, Director of GAO’s Physical Infrastructure team.

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The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, June 24, 2026 Jun 24, 2026

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Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

For years, commercial drones have been limited by how far operators can actually see them, that's about to change
As drones take on a bigger role in the airspace, the rules around them are getting more complicated but also more coordinated than you might expect
Electric aircraft are coming. The rules that will allow them to fly aren’t

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

Commercial drones have been limited by how far operators can actually see them, that's changing Jun 24, 2026

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A new FAA framework could allow drone operators to fly beyond visual line of sight, opening the door to expanded use in infrastructure inspection, agriculture and emergency response. The shift would move drone operations closer to routine use across the national airspace. Joining me to explain the impact and the integration challenge is former senior executive in the FAA’s National Security Division, Jose Martinez.

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

As drones take on a bigger role in the airspace, the rules around them are getting more complicated Jun 24, 2026

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As drone operations expand, regulation could easily fragment across FAA, DHS, DoD and others. Instead, there’s growing coordination to manage both safety and security across that system. Katie Inman, a Partner at Holland and Knight, walks us through how that’s taking shape.

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

Marine Corps eyes 5% force growth by 2032 Jun 23, 2026

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The Marine Corps has a new plan to grow the force by as much as 5% by 2032. The service hopes adding thousands of Marines will spell success in future wars. One lieutenant general says that goal is a step in the right direction to fix earlier versions of its force design plans. For more about this new goal and more context on changes ahead for the Marine Corps, Federal News Network DoD reporter Rachel Cohen joins me now.

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Policymakers struggle to factor cybersecurity into federal funding programs Jun 23, 2026

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Every year, agencies award billions of dollars in grants and other federal funding to finance infrastructure projects across the country. But few of those dollars come attached with cyber requirements, despite repeated warnings that foreign hackers are targeting power utilities and other critical infrastructure. A new report from the Institute for Security and Technology is now offering Congress and the Trump administration several options for factoring cybersecurity into federal funding. For more, Federal News Network’s Justin Doubleday spoke with IST’s senior vice president for policy, Nicholas Leiserson.

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A lot of science policy doesn't fail, it just never makes it through the system Jun 23, 2026

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The interagency process is designed to coordinate decisions across government, but it can also become a choke point for science and technology policy. Understanding where that process breaks down is key to getting ideas into action. Joining me with his observations and recommendations is the Director of Science Policy and Advocacy at the Stand Up for Science Foundation, Cole Donovan.

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, June 23, 2026 Jun 23, 2026

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Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

Scientific breakthroughs don’t run on short timelines, but federal funding is starting to
A lot of science policy doesn't fail, it just never makes it through the system
Security at major events now depends on how well government and contractors operate as one system

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

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