Recognizing The Outstanding Work Of Bureaucrats

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4.4 • 4.3K Ratings

🗓️ 17 November 2024

⏱️ 28 minutes

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Summary

Many of those in the federal government are often depicted as a distant and part of a deep state that seeks to uphold a bureaucracy over the needs of everyday Americans. But the work these people do improves our lives and often goes unnoticed.

The annual Arthur S. Flemming awards honor the work done by those behind the scenes in government

TenaVel Thomas, executive director of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection field academy, is one of this year's winners.

"To be a public servant, there is a certain level of passion that you have to have. Passion for the work, passion for the people, passion for change," she says.

We speak to Thomas and two others being recognized for their outstanding work.

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0:00.0	Hey, it's Aisha Harris from Pop Culture Happy Hour.
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0:14.5	Plus, you'll be supporting public radio.
0:17.1	Check it out at plus.npr.org.
0:31.8	Thank you. Check it out at plus.npr.org. It's award season.
0:33.5	The Grammy nominations are out and next week, the CMAs.
0:37.3	Next month, we'll find out who's getting a Golden Globe nod,
0:40.5	and the Academy will drop who's on its shortlist for an Oscar.
0:47.4	Get ready for hours of airtime and lots of articles dedicated to these annual showbiz lovefests.
0:53.9	But hold on. Isn't it time we celebrate
0:57.3	the work of those who receive much less attention? Individuals whose work is increasingly derided
1:02.2	and dismissed. Who am I talking about? Public servants and federal workers. They're among the millions
1:07.2	who work behind the scenes, cracking down on crime, keeping our food safe,
1:11.4	preventing disease, and fighting climate change. Well, it turns out there is an annual prize for them.
1:17.6	The Fleming Awards are given to outstanding role models for public administration and public
1:22.3	policy. After the break, we're pleased to welcome three guests who've just been honored.
1:27.0	I'm Jen White. You're listening to the 1A podcast where we get to the heart of the story.
1:31.2	Stay with us. We've got a lot to get into.
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1:46.9	expires on the 31st of December 2024 or a stamp or vignette sticker in your passport, you should
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