The federal Oscars are having trouble finding candidates

Prominent civil service awards will hit differently this year after the Trump administration decimated the federal workforce. The Partnership for Public Service, a nonpartisan good government research group, announced Monday its honorees for 2026’s Service to America Medals, which recognize outstanding public service by government workers. This is the 25th anniversary of the organization giving out the awards, nicknamed the “Sammies” and considered the federal government’s version of the Oscars. Only four honorees were selected for the 2026 medals, a significant drop from the 23 medalists last year, and 25 the year before that. “Because of the disruption and upheaval...