Shows / Federal Newscast
Federal Newscast
THE FEDERAL NEWSCAST, (length about seven minutes), is a daily Monday through Friday, high-information compilation of nine 40-second news stories and news packages, generated by the non-partisan, non-political, private-sector team of reporters at Federal News Network. Federal News Radio Producer/Newscasters Eric White and Michele Sandiford assemble and read the stories on the THE FEDERAL DRIVE with TERRY GERTON, the weekday morning-drive program, heard from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. (ET) on the Federal…
Episodes
- Federal Newscast
TSP closes out June with just over $1 trillion in assets
The Thrift Savings Plan closed out the month of June with just over $1 trillion dollars in assets, across 7.2 million TSP participants. Officials on the TSP…
- Federal Newscast
A bill to expand non-VA health care for veterans is advancing through Congress
A bill expanding veterans’ access to non-VA health care is making its way through Congress. The House VA Committee advanced the Veterans' ACCESS Act. The bill…
- Federal Newscast
National Science Foundation employees push back against Trump administration’s plans
Employees at the National Science Foundation are pushing back against the Trump administration’s actions at the agency. Nearly 150 NSF employees signed a…
- Federal Newscast
Trump administration ordered to restore Public Apportionment database
The Office of Management and Budget has until Wednesday to turn the lights back on for one of its key public spending transparency websites. In March, OMB shut…
- Federal Newscast
GAO releases its annual FraudNet program report
The Government Accountability Office processed more than 5,700 allegations through its fraud hotline last year. That’s according to the latest annual report on…
- Federal Newscast
ICE is offering up to $50,000 signing bonus for retired employees to return to the job
Immigration and Customs Enforcement is offering retired ICE employees as much as a $50,000 signing bonus to return to the job. The agency is recruiting both…
- Federal Newscast
Trump administration creates new classification for non-career employees
The Trump administration is creating a new classification for non-career employees. President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing Schedule G…
- Federal Newscast
Salt Typhoon hackers compromise a state's Army National Guard network
Hackers connected to China extensively compromised a U.S. state’s Army National Guard network starting last March. That’s according to a June intelligence memo…
- Federal Newscast
More than 13,400 feds submit retirement paperwork in June
June saw the third largest number of federal employees retire in calendar year 2025. More than 13,400 feds submitted their paperwork. At the same time, the…
- Federal Newscast
The lead official on the effort to fix security clearances is retiring
The head of the effort to fix the security clearance process is retiring. David Cattler, the director of the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency…
- Federal Newscast
The number of TSP millionaires is on the rise
The number of so-called TSP millionaires is on the rise. As of June, more than 171,000 participants in the Thrift Savings Plan have accounts totaling over $1…
- Federal Newscast
OPM details federal workforce changes in response to the President’s gender ideology order
The Office of Personnel Management has detailed the federal workplace changes that should already be in effect, in response to President Trump’s orders on…
- Federal Newscast
A new fellowship looks at the impact of the Trump administration on the civil service
Former federal employees have a new opportunity to study the Trump administration’s impacts on the civil service. The non-profit Democracy Forward has launched…
- Federal Newscast
Benefits update coming for Public sector retirees impacted by WEP and GPO
Public sector retirees impacted by the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset should see their benefits fully updated by November. The…
- Federal Newscast
Trump administration extends governmentwide hiring freeze
Agencies will have to wait until another three months before they can start hiring employees again. The Trump administration has extended its governmentwide…
- Federal Newscast
FBI urged to step up protection of government officials from mobile cyber threats
The FBI is being urged to step up its efforts to protect government officials from mobile cyber threats. In a new letter to the bureau, Senator Ron Wyden says…
- Federal Newscast
TSP posts higher returns across the board for June
Federal employees retirement savings grew at a healthy rate last month. New data from the Thrift Savings Plan shows all 15 funds saw higher rates of return in…
- Federal Newscast
Senate Republicans look to limit the size of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence
Senate Republicans want to limit the size of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. A new bill led by Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom…
- Federal Newscast
SBA launches investigation into fraud in 8(a) business program
The Small Business Administration is launching an investigation into the 8(a) business development program seeking to root out possible fraud. SBA…
- Federal Newscast
A top official at U.S. Cyber Command is moving on
The Senate is moving closer to finalizing the GOP’s reconciliation bill. And a few provisions affecting federal employees remain on the table. One proposal…
- Federal Newscast
Bipartisan bill to revise rules for federal workers compensation advances out of committee
A bipartisan bill to revise the rules for federal workers’ compensation cases unanimously advanced out of a House committee this week. The legislation would…
- Federal Newscast
Army turns to private sector to bolster its tech talent
The Army is turning to the private sector to bolster its tech talent. The service has launched a new website to recruit “top-tier, uniquely skilled” technology…
- Federal Newscast
DoD employee arrested for removal of classified documents from Missile Defense Agency
The Justice Department has arrested a Defense Department employee for removing classified documents from a Missile Defense Agency office in Huntsville…
- Federal Newscast
Lawmakers press Defense Secretary to reverse dismantling of Pentagon independent weapons testing office
A top lawmaker is pressing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to immediately reverse his decision to gut the Pentagon’s independent weapons testing office. In a…
- Federal Newscast
Democrats challenge Trump administration plan to shuffle parts of Education and Labor Departments
Democratic committee leaders are disputing the Trump administration’s plans to shuffle components of the Education Department into the Labor Department. A…
- Federal Newscast
House and Senate look to eliminate IRS’s Direct File in reconciliation bill
Both House and Senate lawmakers are looking to eliminate the IRS’ free online tax filing platform. The Senate Finance Committee is proposing to axe Direct File…
- Federal Newscast
Lawmakers sound alarm over reports of 'mega-database' of sensitive government records
Congressional Democrats are sounding the alarm over reports that a federal contractor is helping the Trump administration build a “mega-database” of sensitive…
- Federal Newscast
Postal Service strikes deal with another of its unions
The Postal Service strikes a deal with another one of its unions. Members of the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association approved a tentative contract that…
- Federal Newscast
Interior Dept and Forest Service face consolidation deadline
The Interior Department and the Forest Service are facing a deadline to consolidate their wildland fire programs. President Trump signed an executive order…
- Federal Newscast
Changes coming to TSP’s Lifecyle Funds
Participants in the Thrift Savings Plan will soon see a few changes to the TSP’s Lifecycle, or “L,” Funds. Starting June 30th, the Federal Retirement Thrift…
- Federal Newscast
Civilian agencies spend 23% less in 2025 than in 2024
Civilian agencies have spent nearly 23% less during the first eight months of 2025 as compared to the same time period in 2024. The Department of DOGE Services…
- Federal Newscast
Hunger Free America files lawsuit after cancellation of USDA contract
The Agriculture Department has cancelled hundreds of contracts under the Trump administration … including one that helped households locate food assistance…
- Federal Newscast
Postal Service may be limited to one price increase per year
The Postal Service is falling into pattern raising stamp prices each January and July. But its regulator is considering limits to those price increases. A…
- Federal Newscast
Assessment find 67% of separating troops screen positive for a mental health condition
A separation health assessment administered to more than 50,000 service members found that about 67 percent of troops screened positive for at least one mental…
- Federal Newscast
Federal retirement claims spike in May
More federal employees filed retirement papers with OPM in May than in the last three months. OPM says it received more than 15,000 claims last month, driving…
- Federal Newscast
Commerce Department drops health insurance for some recently fired employees sooner than promised
The Commerce Department dropped health insurance coverage for some recently fired employees sooner than promised, according to the top Democrat on the House…
- Federal Newscast
IRS close to getting a new leader
President Donald Trump’s permanent pick to run the IRS is one step closer to taking office. The Senate Finance Committee advanced the nomination of former…
- Federal Newscast
TSP funds bounce back in May
Every fund but one in the Thrift Savings Plan saw positive returns last month. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at…
- Federal Newscast
No pay raise for federal employees in 2026 budget request
The White House is not requesting an increase in pay for federal employees in fiscal 2026. President Donald Trump released more details of his budget request…
- Federal Newscast
New data shows impact of fired IGs
The 19 agency inspectors general fired by President Donald Trump had a collective impact of saving the government more than $50 billion in fiscal 2024. New…
- Federal Newscast
Lawmakers question plan to pay political appointees more
Democratic lawmakers are criticizing the Trump administration’s recent push to pay political appointees more money. In a letter to the Office of Personnel…
- Federal Newscast
DoD reviews its support for homeschooling military families
The Defense Department is taking a closer look at how it supports military families who choose to homeschool their children. In a recent memo, Defense…
- Federal Newscast
DHS' fired probationary employees granted class certification on appeal case
Probationary employees who were fired from the Department of Homeland Security have been granted class certification on an appeal case with the Merit Systems…
- Federal Newscast
DMDC expands online ID card program to overseas military families
The Defense Manpower Data Center has expanded its online ID card issuance system to include overseas dependents of service members. Since its launch in 2023…
- Federal Newscast
VA issues grants to suicide prevention programs
Veterans Affairs is giving organizations more resources to prevent veteran suicide. VA is issuing more than $50 million in grants to community-based…
- Federal Newscast
Correctional officers at the Federal Bureau of Prisons are using a different approach to urge congressional action
Correctional officers at the Federal Bureau of Prisons are using a different approach to urge congressional action. A new billboard campaign led by the…
- Federal Newscast
VA makes it easier for veterans to seek care in non-VA facilities
The collective bargaining rights for hundreds of thousands of federal employees remain in limbo after an appeals judge ruled in favor of the Trump…
- Federal Newscast
Lawmaker calls for investigation into DOGE access to IRS systems
A top House Democrat wants an investigation into the Department of Government Efficiency’s access to IRS systems. Oversight and Government Reform Committee…
- Federal Newscast
DoD to reduce leased space by 30 percent
To reduce leased space costs by 30 percent within the next 18 months, the Defense Department is closely tracking building occupancy to find underutilized…
- Federal Newscast
CBP looks to expand its use of facial recognition technology
Customs and Border Protection is looking to expand its use of facial recognition. In a new request for information, CBP says it’s seeking solutions for…
- Federal Newscast
HHS reinstates some employees, mostly in West Virginia
Health and Human Services is reinstating some employees after firing thousands last month. HHS is bringing back about 100 employees at the National Institute…
- Federal Newscast
Office of Federal Contract Compliance programs lays off 90 percent of workforce
The Labor Department is making major cuts to a watchdog office that ensures federal contractors aren’t discriminating against their employees. The Office of…
- Federal Newscast
New cybersecurity law updates may be on the way
The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence is considering updates to a key cybersecurity law. The Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 20-15…
- Federal Newscast
Lawmakers look to secure collective bargaining rights for health care employees
Democrats are attempting to secure full collective bargaining rights for federal health care employees. A new bill from Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth would…
- Federal Newscast
Lawmakers want more funding for Coast Guard recruitment
Lawmakers are calling on the Trump administration to prioritize funding for more recruiting at the Coast Guard. Last year, the Coast Guard exceeded its…
- Federal Newscast
Federal court puts hold on Trump administration plan to close three agencies
A federal court is putting a hold on the Trump administration’s plans to eliminate three small agencies. A judge at the U-S District Court in Rhode Island…
- Federal Newscast
Federal retirement claims drop in April
Just over 7,800 federal employees retired last month, the lowest amount so far in 2025. The Office of Personnel Management says more than 33,500 federal…
- Federal Newscast
A New National Defense Strategy is on the way
Defense Secretary Hegseth has launched the development of a new National Defense Strategy — a major policy document that sets the Pentagon’s strategic goals…
- Federal Newscast
TSP funds post mixed results for April
The international stock index I fund was the big winner among Thrift Savings Plan funds in April. Its monthly return was 4.16%. That also leaves it as the…
- Federal Newscast
Federal firefighters facing workforce shortage
Federal firefighters within the Defense Department continue to struggle with significant workforce shortages. The DoD has been operating below the minimum…