Quick Hits

*** The Department of Agriculture is asking the Federal Labor Relations Authority to issue a general statement that would allow agency heads to review the legality of any expiring collective bargaining agreement between unions and their employers that remained in effect during new contract negotiations. The proposed rule first appeared on FederalRegister.gov on Jan. 23, and will ask for comments until Feb. 24. The American Federation of Government Employees issued a statement opposing the request and stating that the union does not, "support any attempt by USDA to evade its legal and contractual obligations."

*** Defending Digital Campaigns, a non-profit group formed last year to provide free or low-cost cybersecurity services to political campaigns, announced it has added products and services from 10 more companies. Vendors include Microsoft, Cloudflare, Yubico and others.

*** A bipartisan group of lawmakers led by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) is proposing legislation to put new limits on the collection of records under the Patriot Act and by courts authorized by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The Safeguarding Americans' Private Records Act includes a ban on the collection of cell site data without a warrant and limits the use of data collected under Section 215 of the Patriot Act to counterterrorism and espionage cases.