FCW Insider: April 10
The latest news and analysis from FCW's reporters and editors.
FAA asks employees to round up N95 masks, other PPE
The Federal Aviation Administration put out an email blast to employees at field offices and airport facilities on April 8 looking for medical supplies to share out to the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Health and Human Services. Such scavenger hunts, which are taking place across government, are prompting lawmakers to urge the White House to adopt more aggressive solutions Adam Mazmanian reports.
Pelosi continues to resist calls for remote voting
While the Speaker of the House said there are constitutional and security concerns with letting members vote virtually, she has moved to loosen other rules around in-person legislating. Derek B. Johnson has more.
OPM loosens purse strings on recruitment, retention and relocation
New policy allows agencies to up the ante when it comes to incentives to attract employees to the COVID-19 fight. Lia Russell explains.
In a crisis, America turns to….COBOL programmers and fax machines
Mike Hettinger argues that the coronavirus pandemic illustrates how far the federal government and states have to go to support an agile, 21st century public sector workforce.
Quick Hits
*** The Science and Technology Directorate at the Department of Homeland Security is inviting Global Positioning System manufacturers and other critical infrastructure owners and operators to test how susceptible their GPS systems are to spoofing. The event will take place sometime over the summer and organizations have until Apr. 24 to express interest.
*** Pamela J. Powers, chief of staff at the Department of Veterans Affairs is taking on the duties of deputy secretary on an acting basis. Powers takes over the role which had been vacant since the dismissal of Jim Byrne. The deputy secretary at VA is charged in statute with leading the $16 billion Electronic Health Record Modernization project.
*** Also at VA, Karen Brazell, the agency's chief acquisition officer, was promoted to serve as assistant secretary for the Office of Enterprise Integration on an acting basis. Brazell replaces Melissa Glynn who recently left government service to take a position at Ernst and Young.