The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

The IRS is weeks away from the start of a busier-than-usual filing season. But a group of senators is warning that the agency may be stretched too thin to respond to taxpayers’ needs. The agency lost about a quarter of its workforce last year and is embarking on a major shakeup of its IT operations. Federal News Network’s Jory Heckman has more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Federal Emergency Management Agency started off the new year by not renewing appointments for 50 disaster management staff. That cut is sparking concerns about potential FEMA plans for deeper staff reductions. For more on the situation, Federal News Network’s Justin Doubleday joins me. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The House has passed the Commerce Justice Science minibus, but lawmakers face a packed agenda before the January recess. Appropriators aim to release text for the next bundle including State Foreign Ops, Financial Services and Homeland Security soon, even as DHS funding hangs in the balance after a fatal ICE shooting. We’ll also track ACA subsidy talks in the Senate, war powers votes brewing on both sides of the Capitol and how Republicans plan to regroup after their retreat. We hear from Mitchell Miller, Capitol Hill correspondent for WTOP.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Federal agencies face mounting pressure to modernize without sacrificing security or compliance. Will Fortier, CEO of Hive Group, joins us to discuss the tech and process innovations driving mission value, the critical decisions behind Hive’s growth, and what the next five years look like for federal contracting in this episode of "Government Contractors to Watch" sponsored by JP Morgan Chase.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Consumer “Made in USA” claims require products to be “all or virtually all” U.S.‑made, while federal procurement uses different and tightening domestic content tests under the Buy America Act and the Berry Amendment. That complexity is colliding with the President’s new PMA goal to “Deliver Results and Buy American.” It raises the stakes for verification, disclosure, and enforcement. Here to sort out what contractors must do to stay compliant is counsel at Reed Smith and former FTC “Made in USA” program manager, Julia Ensor.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.