Researchers at Georgetown University's Center for Security and Emerging Technology have been gathering all the open source information they can on the corona virus and the illness it causes. They've created a public repository, known as CORD-19, that even the White House and federal agencies are using to better understand what's going on. For details, the Federal Drive with Tom Temin turned to the center's director of Data Science, Dewey Murdick.

Federal Drive with Tom Temin

Using data in the fight against Coronavirus

Most federal rules are aimed at one business or another. Large business and associations spend a lot of time following and responding to rule-making. As the government ponders how to modernize rule-making, and as our third and final installment of our series on e-rulemaking modernization, we wanted to see how rule making is regarded from the industry side. One strong advocate for sound rule making is the deputy general counsel at the National Association of Manufacturers, Patrick Hedren. He joined the Federal Drive with Tom Temin to discuss some of his ideas.

Modernizing the rulemaking process in the eyes of industry

News over the coronavirus pandemic has hitting rapidfire. That the case for the federal workforce. Agencies have their fourth memo now from the Trump administration. They're supposed to realign their resources, and their people, to slow the spread of the virus and keep critical government services going. Mesaure available include mandatory telework for federal employees. But so far, agencies have been slow to expand telework. And their responses have been pretty uneven. This all comes as the leader of the Office of Personnel Management abruptly resigned. Federal News Network's Nicole Ogrysko joined the Federal Drive with Tom Temin to unpack it all.

Telework, or ‘tele-goofing off?’ Mixed agency messages show stigma still exists

The United Service Organization, the USO, has been entertaining and comforting troops for decades. But in the world of COVID-19, the armed services can't pack troops into a concert venue. Troops can't mingle with USO people. For how the USO is adapting, Federal News Network’s Scott Maucione spoke to its chief operating officer, Alan Reyes.

Entertaining the troops during a pandemic

Earlier this week, the Office of Management and Budget told all federal agencies in the national capital region to extend “maximum telework” flexibilities to their employees. The Defense Department said it’s trying to do that, but the Pentagon employees who are already teleworking have already started to put a strain on DoD’s IT infrastructure. Officials are now in the process of prioritizing which employees they can add to the telework population. Federal News Network’s Jared Serbu has been covering the Pentagon’s telework ramp-up. He joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin for more.

As Pentagon gears up for more teleworkers, IT network is already strained

The coronavirus pandemic cancelled most Sunshine Week events this week but for government transparency experts, it doesn't block the sunlight - their favorite disinfectant. The Justice Department’s Office of Information Policy gave awards to agencies that have made big strides in processing Freedom of Information Act requests. For more on how the Environmental Protection Agency's FOIA offices has improved operations, Federal News Network's Jory Heckman spoke to one of the award winners, Region 8 FOIA officer Alan Engels, on Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

Office of Information Policy takes moment to spotlight FOIA excellence

After working for more than 10 years to reach this very date, the Census Bureau launches the main part of its decennial count just as Americans hunker down and isolate themselves. The bureau's public information chief Michael Cook joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin for more information on the implications.

What the implications of social distancing for 2020 census?

Millions of Americans are about to receive their Census Bureau mailings with instructions on how to go online with their household information. But the 2020 decennial count started in January, and at that point basically on time. With the bulk of the effort still to come, the count remains on the high risk list of the Government Accountability Office. For the latest assessment, the managing director of the GAO's strategic issues team, Chris Mihm, joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

2020 census mailings still coming but decennial count still at risk

When it comes to rulemaking, the Environmental Protection Agency has found a practical way to deal with a growing challenge: Mass comment campaigns in which the agency receives thousands, or tens of thousands of nearly identical comments. Steven Balla has done a detailed study of EPA's strategy as the government embarks on a project to modernize e-rulemaking. The George Washington University political science professor joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin for more on what he's learned, and for the second installment in a three-part series on e-rulemaking modernization.

EPA sees a potential solution to public comment challenge of e-rulemaking

Soldiers can borrow up to $500 a month after a move to help with daycare costs. Federal News Network's Scott Maucione has the details.

Army's nonprofit arm now helping soldiers with daycare costs

Too little and too late. That's what my next guest, a long time expert on the federal workplace, sees in the administration's approach so far to telework in the virus scare. Bob Tobias is a professor in the Key Executive Leadership program at American University. He joined the Federal Drive with Tom Temin to discuss further.

Telework protocols coming too late?

When he's not tooling around the National Capital region on his motorcycle, Tom Temin interviews federal executives and government contractors who provide analysis and insight on the many critical issues facing the Executive branch. The Federal Drive is found at FederalNewsRadio.com and 1500 AM in the Washington D.C. region.

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Federal Drive with Tom Temin

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