The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

Hundreds of thousands of taxpayers are facing extended wait times to receive their tax refunds from the IRS. In the past many of them would normally receive a paper check from the agency. But the Trump administration is phasing those out in favor of electronic payments that are faster and less prone to errors. In some cases, taxpayers are now waiting months for their refunds. 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.

After a year of workforce overhauls, the Trump administration is continuing to charge forward with major changes for federal employees. The new Schedule "Policy-slash-Career" classification is on the brink of becoming reality. Revisions to the performance management system will soon take shape. Many of these looming changes come directly from the Office of Personnel Management. At a Federal News Network event last week, reporter Drew Friedman sat down with OPM Director Scott Kupor to hear his take on some of these new policies. Here's an excerpt of that conversation.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
A smaller IRS staff could mean a longer wait for returns
Applications are open for a program that helps Navy and Marine Corps families pay for school through grants and interest‑free loans
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Navy‑Marine Corps Relief Society has opened its 2026–27 Education Assistance Program, giving spouses and children a chance to apply for scholarships and interest‑free loans that can ease the cost of higher education. The Society supports hundreds of families each year through this program, and demand for this cycle is already building as more households look for help balancing school, service, and rising costs. We get the latest on who qualifies and how the program works from RADM (Retired) Dawn Cutler, Chief Operations Officer for the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tax season is underway, but the agency at the center of it is dealing with a shrinking workforce and the loss of tools meant to make filing easier. Those gaps are raising worries about whether the IRS can keep up, especially when it comes to customer service. For more, Federal News Network’s Eric White spoke with former Treasury Department Deputy Chief of Staff Julie Siegel.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.