Modernization
Democratic Senators Urge Social Security to Restore Telework
Lawmakers ask the agency to reconsider its decision to end a 6-year-old pilot program, citing concerns about the burden it places on employees and productivity.
Policy
House Passes Bill to Boost STEM Access for Minority Students
The bill calls for increased federal investments and outreach to support the institutions and diversify the STEM domain.
Cybersecurity
Survey: Ransomware Will Continue to Threaten Public Sector Organizations in 2020
About one-third of the state and federal IT officials who responded said they faced a ransomware attack in the last three years.
Modernization
Defense Digital Service Seeks Platform that Could Automate Hiring Process
Officials are looking for technical solutions that boost automation and reduce unconscious bias.
Ideas
Our Predictions About the Internet Are Probably Wrong
It’s easy to forget how unforeseeable the “unforeseeable” really is
Modernization
Microsoft and Pentagon to Kick Off JEDI Cloud Prep
Microsoft and Defense Department officials will meet for three days to discuss the cloud project despite Amazon lawsuit.
Emerging Tech
TSA Isn’t Doing Enough To Ensure Screening Tech Continues Working Over Time, Watchdog Says
A report shows the airport security agency is good at building and deploying tech but doesn’t have a process to ensure those tools keep operating at a high level.
Emerging Tech
Amazon Claims Pentagon Got Almost Everything Wrong in JEDI Evaluation
The company alleges the president’s public beef with Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos influenced “substantial and pervasive errors” in the Defense Department’s technical evaluation of bids.
Artificial Intelligence
What Veterans Affairs Aims to Accomplish Through Its Artificial Intelligence Institute
The agency plans to streamline and advance its AI efforts to better meet veterans’ needs.
Ideas
Sensitive Data Must Be Protected. That Doesn’t Mean It Can’t Also Be Used.
Two promising tools may allow agencies to share data while maintaining privacy and security requirements.
Modernization
Amazon’s Bezos Hits Silicon Valley For Not Working With Pentagon
His comments come as his company fights to wrest DOD’s giant cloud contract from Microsoft.
Emerging Tech
Bill Would Constrain Some Police Use of Facial-Recognition Tools
A 72-hour limit on tracking individuals would become the first, and somewhat arbitrary, federal line in the sand.
Modernization
FAA to Decommission Decades-Old System that Keeps Pilots Up to Date on Hazardous Weather
It’s all part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to modernize the services it provides.
Modernization
The Government’s Departing Shared Services Lead Explains Why This Effort is Different
On her last day in government, Beth Angerman talks about the new shared services framework she leaves behind and why she believes it will succeed where others have failed.
Ideas
Robotics Researchers Have a Duty to Prevent Autonomous Weapons
Our ever-growing appetite for intelligent, autonomous machines poses a host of ethical challenges.
Modernization
FDA Launches App to Report Fresh Uses for Existing Drugs
Health care providers can now easily access a one-stop online repository that experts hope will accelerate and innovate patient treatment.
Ideas
Yes, We Still Need to Focus on Women in Tech
Adjusting the gender tilt in the tech workforce requires more than just filling vacancies.
Modernization
VA Extends Financial System Overhaul by 5 Years—And Adds More than a Billion to the Cost
The agency is in the middle of a major overhaul of its financial management system, as those efforts stall behind other modernization priorities.
Artificial Intelligence
Emerging Technology Trends
A look at developments in innovation across the federal technology landscape in 2019.
Policy