Here’s a selection of articles Federal Relations is reading this week.
Unusuals – In the wake of the election, speculation had focused on whether President-elect Trump’s personnel choices would be drawn from the GOP establishment or from people antagonistic toward it. While his picks are not anti-establishment in any real sense, it’s also hard to imagine many of them being nominated for similar positions by Mitt Romney or John McCain, had they won the White House. Read more in The Hill.
Increased Scrutiny – Cabinet picks may face extra-tough vetting from the Senate. People involved with the transition process have said that Cabinet picks have been named without an extensive review of their background and in many cases, Trump has announced candidates without requiring a review of extensive paperwork about their background and financial records, including tax returns. Read more in The Wall Street Journal.
Overtime On Schedule – Despite court challenges and delays, most colleges and universities have gone ahead with the Department of Labor’s Overtime regulations. Read more in The Chronicle.
Hacked – Russian-sponsored cyber operatives DNC computers during the election. One of the most eyebrow-raising disclosures is that a Hillary Clinton campaign information technology staffer said an email he sent to John Podesta warning him about a phishing message called it “legitimate” because of a typo; he said he meant to call it “illegitimate.” Read more in The New York Times.
High Debt – A persistent racial wealth gap, waning investment in higher education and limited institutional resources are driving up the rate of borrowing at historically black colleges and universities, with 4 out of 5 undergraduates relying on student loans to finance their education, according to a new study from the United Negro College Fund. Read more in The Washington Post.
Defense on Defense – President-elect Trump’s criticism of projects from Lockheed Martin and Boeing has put contractors on notice, suggesting that the incoming administration intends to put a new emphasis on cost cutting at the Pentagon. Read more in The Hill.
21st Century Cures a View from NIH from The New England Journal of Medicine.
Footprints – Around 3.6 million years ago, a pair of Australopithecus afarensis — a species of ancient ancestor made famous by the fossil Lucy — were walking through wet mud in Laetoli, Tanzania. This was likely just an ordinary day, but then something extraordinary happened: A nearby volcano erupted, covering their freshly made footprints in ash, preserving their shape, and locking this moment in time. The footprints, recently discovered by archaeologists, not only give us a glimpse into how these creatures walked but also, amazingly, give us some clues about how they behaved. Read more in Vox.