Quick Hits

*** The Department of Veterans Affairs says its 10-year electronic health record replacement project will cost $16 billion -- $10 billion in a contract with Cerner and $6 billion in associated infrastructure upgrades and management costs. But that number could wind up much higher – upwards of $20 billion. Recently a lawmaker with oversight of the project went public with his doubts of the VA's price tag.

"The 10-year cost estimate no longer withstands scrutiny," Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Technology Modernization of the House Veterans Affairs Committee said at a hearing last week. "I have expressed skepticism before about the numbers VA puts forward, but this cost estimate has become downright implausible."

*** Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.), the newly named chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection and Innovation for the House Committee on Homeland Security, sent letters to the CEOs of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to ask about the use of the platforms "to spread disinformation targeting Black voters, or to otherwise suppress, intimidate, and interfere with Black voter turnout in 2020.'