Former FBI official proposes terror designations for ransomware hackers targeting hospitals
Former FBI official proposes terror designations for ransomware hackers targeting hospitals
Modernization
Transportation celebrates air traffic control modernization, asks lawmakers for more funding
The government has been trying to modernize the U.S. national airspace system for decades, with little success. Trump’s Transportation Department secretary says this time is different.
Acquisition
OMB seeks details from agencies on their commercial buying, or lack thereof
A new White House budget office memo also outlines what agencies have to do if they want to go down the non-commercial contracting route and who has the approval power over it.
Modernization
House FY27 VA funding bill allocates $3.4B for EHR rollout
The measure, which was voted out of the House Appropriations Committee, withholds 25% of the funds for the EHR modernization project until July 1, 2027, contingent upon VA providing lawmakers with additional information and meeting performance requirements.
Sponsor Content
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Policy
GSA and OPM will soon share the same headquarters
The General Services Administration will temporarily move into the Office of Personnel Management’s building before both agencies ultimately transfer to a renovated GSA headquarters.
Emerging Tech
AI capabilities are needed to counter drone threats, senator says
Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., said the use of drones has changed modern conflicts and the U.S. needs to respond to this shifting environment by better leveraging artificial intelligence.
Ideas
The government is buying AI faster than it is assigning authority
COMMENTARY | Federal AI governance will become credible when agencies can answer a simple question before deployment, not after failure.
People
Senators demand OPM withdraw plan to access feds’ medical records
More than a dozen Democratic lawmakers warned that a little-scrutinized proposal to collect claims-level data related to the Federal Employees Health Benefits and Postal Service Health Benefits programs could violate federal law and doctor-client confidentiality.
People
FAA sets records in effort to hire gamers as air traffic controllers
The agency received over 12,000 applications in less than two days, making the effort “wildly successful,” according to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
Artificial Intelligence
GSA No. 2 talks ‘million hours challenge,’ scaling agency AI efforts
GSA Deputy Administrator Michael Lynch last week offered a comprehensive look at the agency’s plans for key acquisition and shared services programs and new internal efforts aimed at automating work.
Sponsor Content
The Shift from In-House DevSecOps to a FedRAMP SaaS Offering
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Policy
Tech bills of the week: Improving maternal health; Expanding access for disabled Americans; and more
Lawmakers rolled out legislative proposals to enhance the IRS’ use of technology, require regulatory agencies overseeing financial systems to conduct technology assessments and codify a biometric-based program to identify dangerous individuals before they reach U.S. ports of entry.
Artificial Intelligence
OMB’s examination of Mythos is ‘not giving access to anything to agencies,’ official says
Following the debut of Anthropic’s ultra-powerful AI, Mythos, the federal CIO told stakeholders the administration is meeting with industry and intelligence partners to discuss guardrails and safeguards associated with “potentially releasing a modified version of the model.”
Digital Government
Sessions introduces bill to set up a new Treasury fraud watchdog
The proposal from the co-chair of the House DOGE Caucus comes after President Donald Trump fired nearly 20 agency inspectors general last year.
Cybersecurity
CISA resources ‘more limited than I would like’ amid shutdown, top official says
Many “preparatory activities” and “outreach that we’d typically be able to do” are not allowed during an ongoing DHS shutdown, Nick Andersen told lawmakers.
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People
Gruenbaum heading for the exit from GSA
Laura Stanton will lead the General Services Administration’s acquisition shop on an interim basis.
Policy
Senate passes 10-day FISA extension after House revolt sinks long-term deal
The short-term patch was cleared by unanimous consent hours after the House sank a five-year proposal and had to pivot to the 10-day stopgap. It now goes to President Donald Trump’s desk.
Policy
House passes 10-day FISA extension after prospects of long-term deal collapse
The short-term patch was cleared via unanimous consent after opposition from many Democrats and GOP hardliners sank a 5-year proposal with reforms not satisfactory to privacy advocates.
Emerging Tech
Secret Service is embracing new solutions to combat malicious drones, director says
U.S. Secret Service Director Sean Curran explained that the agency is “looking at kinetic solutions — something that we haven’t done before, and something that I’ve asked our technology department to lean into.”
Artificial Intelligence
AI is helping VA speed up claims processing, but Dems worry about errors
“Speed does not equal success,” Rep. Tim Kennedy, D-N.Y., said about VA’s use of automation and AI to process veterans’ benefits claims.
Policy
DOJ to appeal intelligence court ruling over use of spying power
A judge on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court took issue with how spy agencies use filtering tools to sift through raw data collected by the FISA 702 program.
