Workforce
VA tech panel’s top Democrat worries layoffs will harm EHR rollout
Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D-Ill., is concerned that staffing vacancies, coupled with the department’s reduction in force plans, will put “more pressure onto the VA to execute on an expedited calendar for implementation” of its new EHR system.
House Republicans advance plan to cut federal worker benefits and undermine civil service protections
One Republican who voted against the measure said efforts to reduce existing federal workers’ pension benefits will fail if put to a vote before the full House.
People should be ‘outraged’ by efforts to shrink federal cyber teams, former CISA head says
As adversaries like China continue targeting U.S. critical infrastructure, Chris Krebs says we should "make CISA great again" amid expected cuts mounting inside the cyber agency.
IRS to lay off taxpayer experience, DEI staff
It is not clear what will happen next to projects being done by the Taxpayer Experience Office, like making IRS notices to taxpayers more simple.
CISA officials who led Secure by Design initiative resign
Bob Lord and Lauren Zabierek are the latest to depart the cyber agency, as DOGE-fueled cuts and broader Trump reduction plans have placed it in the crosshairs.
Breaking News
White House extends federal hiring freeze until July for most
The Trump administration’s halt on federal civilian hiring, which was supposed to be lifted Monday, will be extended through July, per a memo released late Thursday.
How cyber vulnerabilities and workforce cuts threaten the crisis lifeline program
A bipartisan, bicameral measure is hoping to prevent cyber incidents from limiting access to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline after a 2022 attack on a system operator disrupted calls to the hotline.
Top homeland security lawmaker calls for cautious cuts to CISA
“We have to be very careful about who and what we cut, because [the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency] does have a mission to overwatch our critical infrastructure and make sure the bad guys aren’t getting in,” said Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn.
China is trying to recruit current and former feds, intelligence document warns
The notice is one of the first public acknowledgements from the U.S. intelligence community showing how adversaries are leveraging DOGE-led layoffs to target the government.
Democrats confront SSA about disruptions to constituent SSI accounts
This is the first oversight effort of Senate Democrats’ new Social Security War Room.
CISA to make comprehensive staff cuts in coming days, people familiar say
The nation’s premier cybersecurity agency, which sits in the Department of Homeland Security, has been in the Trump administration’s crosshairs for some time.
Spending and workforce cuts will harm VA’s modernization work, Democrats say
Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said cuts across VA are forcing the department “to decide between keeping staff on the floor, and investing in expensive equipment that may sit idle without enough personnel to operate it.”
House Dems ‘extremely concerned’ VA workforce cuts will further hit researchers
Ten members of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee are calling for VA Secretary Doug Collins to provide additional information about how term-limited researchers are being affected by workforce reduction efforts.
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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.
‘We shouldn’t be afraid of artificial intelligence,’ Vance advises US workers
The vice president touted the Trump administration’s efforts to spur innovation through slashing regulations and prioritizing both businesses and workers at a Tuesday event.
SSA head’s 3-month plan touts workforce reductions while calling for identity and AI investment
The acting commissioner at SSA said that he has “made some mistakes” and promised to learn from them in an email to staff Tuesday.
CISA works to contact probationary employees for reinstatement after court order
Trump officials have vowed to downsize the nation’s leading cybersecurity agency. Ex-officials have said the moves would be harmful to national security.
VA grants researchers 90-day reprieve from layoffs, but their futures remain uncertain
A department spokesperson said the temporary extensions “will ensure continuity of all research efforts while VA conducts a comprehensive assessment of ongoing research initiatives to evaluate their impact on Veteran health care.”
Agency guidance on ‘five accomplishments’ email still inconsistent
Bureaus inside DHS are still reviewing past submissions from staff and have instructed their workers to hold off on sending more updates.
‘5 bullet points’ email now a weekly task for Pentagon civilians
A short explanation of recent achievements is due every Tuesday, SecDef says in additional guidance.
CIA is terminating some probationary employees
Recent U.S. intelligence has signaled that foreign adversaries are increasing efforts to recruit disgruntled federal employees in sensitive national security roles.
