Author Archive
Sean Michael Newhouse
Staff Reporter

Artificial Intelligence
What the federal workforce could look like with AI government employees
Planning will determine how effectively AI agents are incorporated to streamline agency processes and systems, government technology experts argued.
- By Sean Michael Newhouse
Digital Government
Veteran suicide hotline employees permitted to work remotely after concerns that in-office requirement would hurt service
One Veterans Crisis Line supervisor said the return to office mandate was creating confusion among staff, presented logistical challenges and could hurt recruitment.
- By Sean Michael Newhouse
Digital Government
Government shutdown prospects increase after Schumer says Democrats won’t vote for GOP funding bill
Democrats have argued that the shutdown fight is an opportunity to push back on Elon Musk-backed agency spending and staff cuts.
- By Sean Michael Newhouse
Digital Government
House passes GOP funding bill to avoid government shutdown
The measure now heads to the Senate where it’s uncertain if Democrats will provide the votes needed to avoid a lapse in government funding.
- By Sean Michael Newhouse
Policy
Judge orders DOGE to comply with FOIA requests
Trump officials have argued that records from the government efficiency initiative fall under the Presidential Records Act, which can temporarily shield information from public scrutiny.
- By Sean Michael Newhouse
People
Official who safeguards whistleblowers drops lawsuit protesting his firing by Trump
An appeals court had allowed the Trump administration to remove Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger while it heard his case.
- By Sean Michael Newhouse
People
Many federal employees ordered to submit recent accomplishments for second Musk email
Government workers have been instructed not to include classified or sensitive information in their responses.
- By Sean Michael Newhouse
People
12 senior executives at the Federal Acquisition Service head for the exits
The agency had 34 senior executive service members in September 2024.
- By Sean Michael Newhouse
Digital Government
Trump DOGE order directs agencies to build tech to track government spending
The executive order directs agencies to build centralized tech systems to “record every payment” issued under grants and contracts.
- By Frank Konkel and Sean Michael Newhouse
People
Judge denies federal unions’ request to block mass probationary firings
The federal judge said in a preliminary ruling that the National Treasury Employees Union likely must first bring their challenge to the Federal Labor Relations Authority.
- By Sean Michael Newhouse
People
Senior Democrat wants to know who in the Trump White House got Top Secret clearance without a complete background check
Trump issued a memo providing temporary security clearances for certain personnel, arguing delays in their vetting were "unacceptable."
- By Sean Michael Newhouse
Featured eBooks
People
Trump fires multiple agency inspectors general
At least a dozen were removed, including the IGs for the departments of Defense, State, and Energy, the Washington Post reported.
- By Sean Michael Newhouse
People
What Trump’s inaugural address means for federal employees
Many of Trump’s expected Day 1 executive orders will impact government workers.
- By Sean Michael Newhouse
Digital Government
Officials say federal employee background check system overhaul is finally on the right track
The director of the agency primarily responsible for background checks of federal employees said the change in administration likely won’t affect modernization efforts.
- By Sean Michael Newhouse
People
ODNI adds new colleges and universities to its school recruitment program
Recent intelligence community recruitment efforts have focused on STEM.
- By Sean Michael Newhouse
People
Fed employee advocate Connolly to lead Democrats on House Oversight Committee
The Virginia Democrat could be a leading opponent to Trump’s plans for overhauling the civil service.
- By Sean Michael Newhouse
People
Could Biden’s recent strategy to streamline government hiring be scuttled under Trump?
One of the purposes of the administration’s federal hiring improvement plan is to make agencies aware of hiring tools they already have access to.
- By Sean Michael Newhouse
People
Intelligence IGs head for the exit before Trump’s return
Trump fired five inspectors general during his first administration.
- By Sean Michael Newhouse
Policy
An agency-by-agency look at Trump's plan to overhaul government
The president-elect's vision will lead to sweeping changes at federal agencies and the employees who work in them.
- By Eric Katz and Sean Michael Newhouse
Policy
Trump and Musk want to create a government efficiency commission. It’s not a new idea
Presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton both spearheaded initiatives to reduce government waste and inefficiency, although they went about it in vastly different ways.
- By Sean Michael Newhouse