Government Matters

Peace Corps volunteers return to service Carol Spahn, chief executive officer of the Peace Corps, provides an update as her organization invites volunteers back to serve communities after a pause due to the pandemic   Permitting Council’s $350 million budget increase Christine Harada, executive director of the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council, discusses how the council will use new funding from the Inflation Reduction Act for infrastructure projects   War in Ukraine surpasses the six-month mark Keith Darden, associate professor in the School of International Service at American University, provides updates about the Russia-Ukraine war, assistance from the United States and nuclear concernsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cost of climate change for national parks Ray Sauvajot, associate director for natural resource stewardship and science at the National Park Service, discusses efforts to understand and respond to the effects of climate change on national parks   Challenges of the Arctic Commitment Act Ryan Burke, professor of military and strategic studies at the U.S. Air Force Academy, explains how the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration can help the military establish a stronger presence in the Arctic   New strategy towards sub-Saharan Africa Mvemba Phezo Dizolele, senior fellow and director of the Africa Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, discusses Secretary of State Blinken’s recent trip to Africa and the new U.S. strategy for engaging with sub-Saharan AfricaSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Defense Department focus on emerging technology Barbara McQuiston, deputy chief technology officer for science and technology at the Defense Department, describes her team’s role in developing defense technology and advancing emerging opportunities in biotechnology, quantum science, advanced materials and future G   Young federal employees leaving at higher rates Oma Seddiq, politics reporter for Insider, analyzes new research on attrition rates in the federal government and explains why younger employees are leaving at higher rates than older workersSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Reducing sexual assault and suicide in the Army Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Grinston discusses data on sexual harassment and assault and suicide among soldiers and initiatives the Army has put in place to get those numbers to zero   Addressing the threat posed by quantum computers Edward Parker, physical scientist at the RAND Corporation, explains the major security threat posed by future quantum computers and steps the government is taking to prepareSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Simulating US-China conflict over Taiwan Mark Cancian (Colonel, USMCR, ret.), senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, discusses wargames hosted by CSIS to simulate what would happen if the U.S. responded to a Chinese invasion of Taiwan   Naval investment in robotic ships Bryan Clark, senior fellow and director at the Hudson Institute, discusses how unmanned ships and aircraft can benefit the Navy and where the service is falling short in this area   CHIPS and Science Act funding Mitch Ambrose, science policy writer for the American Institute of Physics, details the kinds of programs the CHIPS and Science Act money will go towards and concerns within the research community about congressional appropriationSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

NICHD led multiple Covid-19 studies Dr. Diana Bianchi, director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development at the National Institutes of Health, discusses research her organization conducted about the effects of Covid-19 and the vaccine on various populations   Impact of hydrofluorocarbons on the environment Cindy Newberg, Stratospheric Protection Division director at the Environmental Protection Agency, describes efforts underway to reduce HFC production as well as progress the U.S. has made with phasing out other harmful chemicals since the 1990s   Mission of Voice of America Yolanda López, acting director of Voice of America, discusses practicing public-service journalism, getting news to an international audience and addressing employee concerns within the organizationSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

China’s reaction to Pelosi’s Taiwan trip Yun Sun, director of the China Program at the Stimson Center, discusses the implications of China’s live-fire missile drills around Taiwan and recommendations for U.S. response   Future of Russia’s space program Kaitlyn Johnson, deputy director of the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, analyzes Russia’s threats to exit the International Space Station and the potential impacts on the United States and other partners   Improving semiconductor supply chain Candice Wright, director at the Government Accountability Office, discusses potential consequences of a semiconductor shortage and a recent report about the CHIPS Act, aimed at increasing productionSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ayman al-Zawahiri’s role in al-Qaeda Bill Roggio, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, explains the significance of the U.S. drone strike on the terrorist leader Ayman al-Zawahiri   Global food security crisis Chris Barrett, professor of agriculture and economics at Cornell University, discusses the impacts of global food price increases and potential solutions   Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act projects Eugene Mulero, senior congressional reporter at Transport Topics, discusses progress made on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the process of funding and implementing projects  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Preparing for future climate disasters Alice Hill, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, discusses President Biden’s climate agenda and recommendations with respect to climate change   Revitalizing the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Rupa Bhattacharyya, former special master of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund at the Department of Justice, discusses managing and successfully addressing issues with the fund   Air Force Gaming: Connecting Airmen and Guardians Capt. Zach “ZB” Baumann, co-founder of Air Force Gaming, describes what sparked the creation of Air Force Gaming and how the initiative is helping connect people across the Air ForceSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

TSA rolling out new technology Darby LaJoye, executive assistant administrator for security operations at the Transporation Security Administration, discusses new technology that will improve security and reduce wait times at airports, as well as an uptick in firearms, TSA agent pay and cybersecurity threats   Inside the Pentagon on January 6 David Levinthal, deputy editor at Insider, discusses newly obtained information revealing what the Defense Department knew before the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and how it responded as the event unfoldedSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mission of US Digital Corps David Zvenyach, director of GSA’s Technology Transformation Services, discusses the work of the first U.S. Digital Corps fellows and the goal of recruiting early-career talent into government   Use of drones in Russia-Ukraine war Samuel Bendett, adviser with CNA’s Strategy, Policy, Plans and Programs Center and Russia Studies Program, analyzes Russia’s use of unmanned aerial vehicles in Ukraine and Putin’s trip to Iran   Regulating the tobacco industry Mitchell Zeller, former director of the Center for Tobacco Products at the FDA and finalist for a Service to America Medal, discusses progress on reducing smoking rates in the U.S. and work that still needs to be doneSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

National Science Foundation mission and initiatives Sethuraman Panchanathan, National Science Foundation director, discusses investments in high-risk ideas, advancement of science and technology, progress in STEM education and a new Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships   Addressing Covid-19 healthcare inequity Suma Nair, director of the Office of Quality Improvement at the Health Resources and Services Administration, describes leading an effort to get tests, vaccines and treatments to communities with limited access to them early in the Covid-19 pandemicSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

NSA’s work to prevent and eradicate cyber threats Rob Joyce, director of cybersecurity at the National Security Agency, discusses NSA’s collaboration with other agencies and countries to combat cybersecurity threats from individual and state actors   Monkeypox testing and vaccines Thomas Bollyky, director of the global health program at the Council on Foreign Relations, discusses the differences between monkeypox and Covid-19, the threat the virus poses and the status of testing and vaccines in the United States and other countriesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Principles of ethical artificial intelligence Jane Pinelis, chief of AI assurance at the Department of Defense Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, discusses the principles of responsible AI in a newly released strategy from DoD   USAID opening doors for kids with disabilities Josh Josa, inclusive education specialist at USAID, discusses his work in helping improve education access for kids with disabilities in countries around the world   Immigration and Customs Enforcement oversight Rebecca Gambler, director at the Government Accountability Office, discusses new recommendations regarding the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Alternatives to Detention programSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mission of U.S. Army North Lt. Gen. John Evans, commanding general of U.S. Army North, describes the role of his command in responding to hurricanes, wildfires and pandemics and highlights major accomplishments   Federally funded brain research John Ngai, director of the NIH’s BRAIN Initiative, discusses how his team is working to revolutionize the scientific community’s understanding of the brain in health and disease to move further towards curesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

President’s trip to Saudi Arabia Steven Cook, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, previews President Biden’s upcoming trip to Saudi Arabia centering around oil and security   Nationwide paper shortage complicating midterm elections Matt Weil, director of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Elections Project, discusses a nationwide paper shortage and concerns about obtaining election materials in time for midterms   Government agents seize millions in cryptocurrency Kyle Armstrong, former FBI special agent, discusses how his team shut down an Islamic State scheme to raise money through a fraudulent face mask website early in the pandemicSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Recruitment and retention in federal agencies Kiran Ahuja, director of the Office of Personnel Management, reviews what OPM has accomplished in the past year and what it is focusing on now with hiring, employee pay and support of agencies   Assessing damage to Capitol grounds after attack Jim Kaufmann, director of the Capitol Grounds and Arboretum and finalist for a Service to America Medal, describes what it was like to restore the grounds after the Jan. 6, 2021 attackSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How would China enact naval blockade of Taiwan? Bradley Martin, director and senior policy researcher at the RAND Corporation, discusses the possibility for China to put in place a naval blockade of Taiwan, potential response and recommendations for the U.S.   Iran may be preparing rocket launch Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, discusses the potential for an Iranian rocket launch and the military significance of this move   Leading vaccine rollout effort Anita Patel, former senior advisor for pandemic preparedness and response at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, discusses managing the distribution of Covid-19 vaccines, addressing challenges and working with the private sector  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Collaboration between Space Force and UK Space Command Air Vice-Marshal Paul Godfrey, commander of UK Space Command, discusses the founding of the command, accomplishments so far and partnership with the U.S. Space Force   US-Russia relations on board space station Zhanna Malekos Smith, senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and assistant professor at West Point, discusses how Russia’s war on Ukraine has impacted relations with Americans on board the International Space StationSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Deterring Chinese attack on Taiwan Michael O’Hanlon, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, discusses the “dual deterrence” policy and the likelihood that the United States would be able to defend Taiwan from China   China set to launch third aircraft carrier Warren Strobel, national security reporter for The Wall Street Journal, provides updates about satellite imagery of China’s new aircraft carrier and explains the significance   Shoring up strategic mineral stockpile Bryant Harris, Congress reporter for Defense News, discusses the drastically dwindling National Defense Stockpile and steps the government is taking to bolster itSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.