• May was a good month for every fund in the Thrift Savings Plan. New data from the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board shows all 16 accounts returned positive month-over-month results. The C Fund saw the most with 5.26%, while five of the L funds also enjoyed 5% returns. For the year, the I fund remains the big winner, growing by more than 16%. Overall, 11 funds are producing returns of more than 10% for 2026.
• The Office of Management and Budget is out with new requirements for federal financial managers. OMB reversed course and will now require agencies to submit financial statements that include historical data for 2026. OMB made the change back to multi-year financial presentations last week as part of its annual update to Circular A-136. For 2025, OMB required only a single-year audit and officials said they would decide later on whether to stick with that approach or change. In another big update to A-136, agencies now are required to report to OMB on how they are using the Do Not Pay database and an evaluation of whether the agency reduced their improper payments. Agencies must submit their unaudited interim financial reports to OMB by Aug. 17.
• Customs and Border Protection has new leadership in place. CBP announced the appointment of Rosario Vasquez as its new Border Patrol chief. He replaces Mike Banks, who resigned last month. Vasquez has spent more than 26 years in Border Patrol, most recently as chief patrol agent in the Blaine Sector in Washington state. Vasquez also served as assistant attaché for CBP in Canada and as acting executive director within CBP's Office of Trade. His appointment comes as Congress negotiates over more funding for CBP as part of a broader reconciliation package.
• Statistical agencies closed their office for the third time in recent weeks over an unspecified water issue. The Suitland Federal Center — the headquarters for the Census Bureau, the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Bureau of Labor Statistics — was closed on Monday because of “continued water quality management treatment.” According to two employees who work in the building, staff recently received similar messages announcing the building was closed on May 15 and May 18. A Census Bureau employee told Federal News Network that staff aren’t getting many details from agency management about what issue is being addressed or how long it will take to mitigate.
• The Government Accountability Office said the Defense Department needs to develop a way to learn from the civilian staff reductions made over the last year and a half. In 2025, the department saw 10% of its civilian workforce leave, more than 78,000 people. GAO found in a new report that DoD components experienced both benefits, such as efficiencies, and obstacles like strained workforce capacity in completing their missions. GAO also noted that the department hired almost 60,000 fewer civilian workers in 2025 compared to previous years.
• The National Institute of Standards and Technology is shaking up a key public-private group. NIST is rebranding the AI Safety Consortium as the AI Consortium, with a focus on measurement, innovation and adoption. The consortium is also accepting applications for new members. It currently has involvement from 280 companies, universities and other organizations. The consortium’s work will be spearheaded by six task groups, including one that’s developing test and evaluation tools to determine whether an AI system meets its design requirements.
• A new bill would restrict employment at the federal government to U.S. citizens and nationals only. Rep. Nancy Mace's (R-S.C.) Hire American Act would require all federal employees to be citizens or nationals. In general, most federal jobs do currently require applicants to be a U.S. citizen or national, with some exceptions. Under this bill, all federal employees hired would need to sign an affidavit attesting to their citizenship status. The hiring agency also would need to confirm it. The bill includes exceptions for temporary translators, emergency field workers, international broadcasters and non-residents working for the Wildland Fire Service. Also, the Office of Personnel Management would have to issue guidance to agencies and a report to Congress on the current number of non-citizens in the federal workforce.
• National Science Foundation employees displaced from their old headquarters will soon be expected to show up to their new office space, regardless of their disabilities or medical conditions. Their union, the American Federation of Government Employees, said NSF management is insisting all employees try out the new office space without their previously established reasonable accommodations. NSF employees say almost all staff are currently teleworking until renovations of their new headquarters are complete. An NSF spokesperson said the agency remains committed to fulfilling all legal obligations under the Rehabilitation Act.

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