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Biden biodefense plan seeks more research, tech to fend off outbreaks
One of the strategy’s goals is to be able develop vaccines within 100 days of an outbreak, whether naturally occurring, accidental or deliberate in origin.

Federal Times
Talks over remote work for US Treasury employees suspended, union says
NTEU said it wants the bureau to return to negotiations on the pilot program as envisioned in the original agreement.
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DoD is pausing civilian COVID vaccine mandate after court ruling
Defense Department civilians will not be fired or required an exemption from COVID-19 vaccination while the lawsuit plays out.
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Pentagon pushes maximum telework through January 2022
The health protection condition status for the Pentagon Reservation hasn't changed, but officials are tightening restrictions and safety measures for the worksite.
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DOJ says federal inmates on home confinement can stay out of prison
More than 35,000 inmates were released as part of the effort to ease pandemic conditions as long as they met certain criteria, including they were not likely a danger to others.
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OPM again extends special pandemic hiring authority
Agencies have just over six more months to make use of Schedule A hiring authorities for pandemic response.
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Judge blocks Biden vaccine mandate for federal contractors
The judge found that the states opposing the mandate are likely to succeed in their claim that the president exceeded authorization from Congress when he issued the requirement in September.
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Archbishop: Catholic troops can refuse COVID-19 vaccine
Archbishop for the Military Services, USA releases new guidance on COVID-19 vaccines for Catholic troops.
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VA staff have a few days left to get COVID vaccines or get fired
Tens of thousands of staffers either have not started the vaccine regiment yet or have not filed paperwork showing their vaccine status.
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Fears about safety of federal works sparks reform effort on Capitol Hill
Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, led the introduction of a bill that would require agencies to involve employees in pandemic response plans.
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Extend contractor reimbursement period, trade groups urge Congress
Trade groups are urging lawmakers to extend the window for reimbursing government contractor costs for COVID-19 connected disruptions and cost increases, set to close Sept. 30.
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Troops who stepped up for COVID-19 pandemic response are eligible for these two medals
Troops who mobilized for COVID-19 support are eligible for the Armed Forces Service Medal or Humanitarian Service Medal.
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Senate ethics panel drops inquiry into Loeffler stock trades
The Senate Ethics Committee found no evidence of wrongdoing by Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler of Georgia after investigating stock trades she made weeks before the coronavirus caused markets to plunge.
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Judge rules US must release $679M in tribal virus relief funds
The U.S. Treasury Department must release $679 million in coronavirus relief funding for tribes that it intended to withhold while a court challenge over the agency’s initial round of payments to tribal governments played out in court, a federal judge ruled late Monday.
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Lawmakers question federal prisons’ home confinement rules
Democratic lawmakers are raising questions about the federal Bureau of Prisons’ release of high-profile inmates and are calling for widespread testing of federal inmates for COVID-19.
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Could Congress provide IT modernization funding to states?
States' IT systems have been overwhelmed as a record amount of citizens have filed for unemployment.
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Democrats charge OSHA isn’t protecting front-line workers
Democrats charge that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been “largely invisible” during the pandemic and has not found ways to combat it.
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