This episode of The FED Weekly covers key policy updates impacting federal employees and retirees for the week of July 27 to August 2, 2025. Major tax changes from the Big Beautiful Bill Act, including adjustments to federal tax rates, deductions for seniors, and new credits for overtime and family leave. The episode examines President Trump’s Executive Order 14319 on “Preventing Woke AI,” which sets strict ideological neutrality standards for federal AI procurement, and recent OPM guidance reinforcing religious expression rights in the workplace. For retirees, the show notes relative stability in direct benefits but warns of possible indirect impacts from broader healthcare legislation. On current workforce issues, the episode covers a memorandum restricting federal hiring, effectively slowing workforce growth amid ongoing reductions in force, and discusses the Federal Employee Return to Work Act s.27, which seeks to reduce locality pay for teleworking employees, aiming to incentivize in-person work. Lastly, the IRS’s recognition of National Whistleblower Day is noted as a sign of commitment to accountability during a period of increased scrutiny. The episode emphasizes the importance of staying informed amid rapidly changing policies.