Weekly Roundup: June 21-25, 2021

Submitted by on Fri, 06/25/2021 - 13:10

The Battle for the Public Service Is Just Beginning. We are in the midst of a critical debate over the future of the federal workforce—and with it, about the future role of the federal government. It is raising questions more fundamental than at any time since the passage of the Pendleton Act, which established the civil service system in 1883. The questions speak to the role of administrators in our constitutional system of governance and, indeed, the Constitution itself.

Driving IT Modernization and Transforming Culture

Submitted by on Thu, 06/24/2021 - 12:29

In early 2019, Jamie Holcombe became the chief information officer at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). He came to the agency to modernize and transform how USPTO uses technology to accomplish its constitutionally required mission. With a mission-first strategy, Holcombe has sought to drive next generation enterprise IT investments and implement better, faster, and cheaper ways to grant patents and register trademarks.

Leveraging Cloud Computing to Enhance the Nation’s Cybersecurity

Submitted by on Thu, 06/24/2021 - 11:53

...which FBI director Christopher Wray recently compared to addressing the challenge of global terrorism following the 9/11 attack. Earlier this week, the NY Times published this front page article - Once, Superpower Summits Were About Nukes.

Guidance on Regulatory Guidance: What the Government Needs to Know and Do to Engage the Public

Submitted by on Thu, 06/24/2021 - 11:29

Federal agencies routinely issue guidance documents to announce policy statements and to clarify the meaning of existing statutes and regulations. Over time, guidance documents have become a principal agency policy instrument.

Guidance on Regulatory Guidance: What the Government Needs to Know and Do to Engage the Public

Submitted by on Tue, 06/22/2021 - 09:00

Federal agencies routinely issue guidance documents to clarify the meaning of existing statutes and regulations. Over time, guidance has become a principal tool to help implement regulations. However, agencies have no uniform process for issuing guidance, no common way to engage the public, and no archival record of past policies. As Professor Yackee argues, this creates a mismatch between: (1) the importance of this policy tool, and (2) the ability of the public to influence the policies that govern them.

Susan Webb Yackee

Submitted by on Tue, 06/22/2021 - 08:58

Susan Webb Yackee is a Collins-Bascom professor of Public Affairs and Political Science and the director of the La Follette School of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research and teaching interests include the public policymaking process, public management, regulation, and interest group politics. Yackee has published articles in a number of journals, including the American Political Science Review, Public Administration Review, and Journal of Policy Analysis and Management. Yackee received the 2019 Herbert A.

Jamie Holcombe

Submitted by on Mon, 06/21/2021 - 11:47

Henry (Jamie) Holcombe is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). In this role, he is the principal advisor to the agency on the design, development, and management of its information systems and technology.

Weekly Roundup: June 14-18 2021

Submitted by on Fri, 06/18/2021 - 13:26

States and Localities Should Strengthen Data Analytics Capacity Using Rescue Plan Funds. This is the fourth of a multi-part blog series that will take a detailed look at the American Rescue Plan and the ways in which we can leverage it to strengthen the resiliency of our public health and human services infrastructure, and, in turn, substantially move the needle on social and economic mobility so families succeed for the long run.

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