VA starts search for new health and benefits leaders
The Department of Veterans Affairs is starting its search to fill two leadership roles. The VA is looking for candidates that President Donald Trump can nominate as the next under
secretary for health and undersecretary for benefits. VA’s Deputy Secretary Paul Lawrence will oversee the search. Both roles face major projects, from rolling out a new Electronic Health Record, to processing a record volume of disability claims. The under secretary for health will oversee accelerated plans to roll out a new Electronic Health Record. The under secretary for
benefits will ensure the VA can continue processing a record volume of disability claims.
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6:31
Lawmakers call on National Archives to investigate use of Signal and Gmail by top government officials
Lawmakers are calling on the National Archives to investigate the use of unauthorized
communications platforms by top government officials. Democrats on the Senate Homeland Security Committee say the reported use of Signal and Gmail by national security officials creates major cybersecurity risks. They also point out that it could violate federal record laws. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz reportedly has used both Signal and Gmail for sensitive discussions.
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6:36
Trump administration wants to ease foreign arms sales process
President Donald Trump seeks to ease the foreign arms sales process for U.S. defense
companies. Trump signed an executive order aimed at reducing rules and regulations governing military equipment sales to other countries. Both industry and foreign nations have long complained about the process that has been plagued by bureaucratic delays and lengthy approval procedures. Trump instructed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to identify top-priority ally nations and the most strategically important weapons
and systems for faster delivery to those countries. The executive order also directs Hegseth, Rubio and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to submit a plan that makes exportability a requirement earlier in the acquisition cycle and consolidates the sales approval process.
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6:27
Federal retirements slow in March
Just over 7,800 federal employees retired in March, almost 2,000 less than who left in
February. The Office of Personnel Management says the claims backlog also dropped to about 16,500, which is the lowest its been in 2025. The time to process retirement claims also ticked back up to average about 50 days in March. But OPM says the average time to process a claim for all of 2025 dropped one day to 54 days. More than 33,500 federal employees have
retired so far in 2025, that is about 3,800 more than the number who left in the first three months of 2024.
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8:00
Acting head of the IRS steps down
The acting head of the IRS is stepping down in the aftermath of a new data sharing agreement between the agency and Customs and Border Protection. Multiple sources tell the Associated Press that Melanie Krause resigned because of the new development on Tuesday. The agreement will allow ICE to submit names and addresses of immigrants inside the U.S. illegally to the IRS for cross-verification against tax records. Krause has served as acting commissioner since February.
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