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Top Three News Stories:

1. OPM Chief Says Federal Workforce Could Shrink by 300,000 in 2025

OPM Director Scott Kupor told reporters the government is on track to lose about 300,000 employees this year—roughly 12.5% of the workforce—through a mix of buyouts, attrition, and some dismissals. He said about four out of five departures would be “voluntary,” while the rest would come from removals tied to reorganizations. Agency-by-agency details were not released yet, but OPM expects more proposals to land at the White House budget office in the coming weeks. This would nearly double earlier estimates of buyouts accepted so far. Reuters

Legal Insight: 

A formal RIF still requires written notice, correct retention rankings, and appeal rights; attrition and buyouts do not erase those rules if a RIF is later used. Keep copies of your SF-50s, performance ratings, and any buyout or early-out paperwork. If duties shift because your team is smaller, ask for the new performance plan in writing and save workload emails; clear records help if disputes arise.

2. Justice Department Names DEA Administrator “Emergency Police Commissioner” for D.C.

The administration expanded its takeover of D.C. policing by giving the DEA administrator the powers of the city’s police chief for now. Federal agents from several agencies are helping patrol the city, alongside National Guard units. Local officials objected and said they are weighing legal options, while the Justice Department said the move is needed to “restore order.” Agencies in the capital are updating safety and access guidance for employees as the posture changes. AP News

Legal Insight:  

Duty status, telework, and overtime still follow your agency’s written policies, even during a policing surge. If your schedule, location, or building access changes, ask for the instruction in writing and keep time records. Report safety issues through the channels your agency lists; good-faith reports of hazards are protected activity.

3. GSA Launches USAi.gov to Help Agencies Adopt AI Tools

GSA rolled out a new platform—USAi.gov—to let federal teams test and adopt vetted AI tools in one place. The service is open to all agencies and aims to speed up pilots, reduce duplicate contracts, and share best practices. GSA said the site will grow over time with more models, guardrails, and “how-to” playbooks for common missions. For many offices, this could be the first official path to try AI without building their own stack. NextGov

Legal Insight:

Using AI does not change record-keeping, privacy, or ethics rules: stick to approved data, follow your IT use policy, and don’t paste sensitive information into tools unless your agency has authorized it. If AI output affects decisions, keep the prompt, result, and your human review notes. Ask for the written standard your office will use to check accuracy and bias, and keep training certificates or job aids tied to the rollout.

Mindful Moment of the Day: 

Mindful Policy Reading      

Dense CFR language can glaze the sharpest legal mind, so treat each subsection as a 20-minute sprint, then close your eyes for three slow breaths, letting the optic nerve rest and the hippocampus file what you just read. Cognitive-load studies at OPM’s Learning Center reveal this rhythmic pause boosts long-term retention by up to 28 percent compared with marathon reading. Reinforce the break by shifting gaze to a distant point—an exit sign or window skyline—to relax the ciliary muscles strained by near work. When you return to the page, definitions pop with new clarity, and the cross-references you need for tomorrow’s advisory memo surface almost intuitively.