Author Archive
Eric Katz

Eric Katz writes about federal agency operations and management. His deep coverage of Veterans Affairs, Homeland Security, the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Postal Service has earned him frequent guest spots on national radio and television news programs. Eric joined Government Executive in the summer of 2012 and previously worked for The Financial Times. He is a graduate of The George Washington University.
Public Safety
Federal Agencies Detail Their Priorities in Battling the Fentanyl Epidemic
Fentanyl seizures at the border have increased tenfold over the last three years.
- By Eric Katz
Finance
Senate Reaches Deal to Avoid Shutdown, Punts Threat for 10 Weeks
Lawmakers agreed to drop controversial provisions and set up a new deadline for a lame duck Congress.
- By Eric Katz
Management
USPS Lists Hundreds of Post Offices and Other Facilities Where It Will Consolidate Operations
The changes will take place as soon as next month.
- By Eric Katz
Management
USPS to Slash 50,000 Positions in Coming Years
But the postal service is delivering election ballots at a much faster clip.
- By Eric Katz
Finance
Covid Aid Program Gave 'Shuttered Venues' Funds They Didn't Ask For
Poor oversight riddled the emergency initiative, leading to $1.5 billion in questioned awards.
- By Eric Katz
Health & Human Services
USPS: It's Up to Mailers to Comply With State Laws on Abortion Pills
The Postal Service says it will not crack down on the mailings, while the Biden administration promises to use the mail to expand access to the pills.
- By Eric Katz
Management
Supreme Court Deals a Major Blow to the EPA, and All Federal Agencies
A decision from the court's conservative majority limits agencies' ability to write new rules on major issues. The case centered on a challenge brought by West Virginia and other states.
- By Eric Katz
Public Safety
FEMA Chief: Top Priority Is Ensuring Adequate Staffing For Emergencies
Employees and managers alike continue to warn lawmakers about the impact that growing demands will have on the agency's ability to respond to disasters.
- By Eric Katz
Management
Forest Service Rushes to Hire Enough Firefighters Ahead of Wildfire Season
Stakeholders warn shortages again threaten the Biden's administration's approach to combatting the fires.
- By Eric Katz
Finance
Congress Is Heading Toward Yet Another Stopgap Spending Bill This Week to Avoid a Shutdown
A measure to fund agencies through March 11 will allow appropriators to get over the finish line on full-year spending, top House Democrat says.
- By Eric Katz
Health & Human Services
Biden to Launch Federal Covid-19 Testing Centers, New Federally Run Vaccination Sites
The White House again ups federal agency deployments to confront the pandemic and the surging Omicron variant.
- By Eric Katz
Public Safety
Congressional Leaders Strike Deal to Fund Agencies Through Feb. 18, but Shutdown Threat Remains
Some Republican senators threaten to derail plans over COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
- By Eric Katz
Health & Human Services
As States Weigh Employee Vaccine Mandates, Feds Struggle With Mass Testing for Unvaccinated
The Biden administration is requiring at least weekly COVID-19 testing for the unvaccinated, but the White House has offered few details about how that will happen.
- By Eric Katz
Management
Biden Sworn in as President, Promising Truthful Government to Tackle Crises
The new president quickly turned to a deluge of day one priorities.
- By Eric Katz
Management
With Shutdown Deadline Looming This Week, Lawmakers Look to Buy More Time
Vote on a one-week funding extension is expected this week, ahead of Friday's deadline. Lawmakers could eventually end up including Covid relief in the package.
- By Eric Katz
Management
Census Pulls Back on Year-End Delivery Commitment, Pushes Decision to Career Staff
Rushing in an effort to truncate the data processing timeline has "some risks," bureau official admits.
- By Eric Katz
Management
Supreme Court Sides With Trump on Census, Allowing for Immediate End to Count
Enumeration was under lower court order to keep count going through Oct. 31.
- By Eric Katz
Management
'Nobody Knows What's Going On': Census Workers Decry Chaos as Trump Administration Challenges Court Order
Census enumerators say they have received inconsistent messages and workloads in recent days despite court order to keep count going.
- By Eric Katz
Management
Court Orders Census to Continue Counting People Past Trump Administration's Sept. 30 Deadline
The bureau will have through Oct. 31 to finish its enumeration under the injunction, though an appeal is expected.
- By Eric Katz
Management
Decision to Shorten Census Schedule Came From Outside the Census Bureau, Watchdog Says
That decision is risking an incomplete and inaccurate count.
- By Eric Katz