Digital Government
Interior announces digital park passes alongside new, ‘America-first’ fee structure
Congress instructed the government to roll out digital park passes by January 2026 in a law signed by former President Joe Biden just before he left office.
DOGE no longer has ‘centralized leadership’ under White House tech team, personnel head says
The team that was altered to house DOGE — formerly the U.S. Digital Service — is also still doing its own technology work across agencies.
Login.gov director departs for the private sector
Whoever officially leads the government’s identity proofing service next could impact how millions of Americans interact with the government online.
Satisfaction with government services rises, despite recent layoffs and turmoil
The Trump administration has touted some service delivery projects and launched a design initiative, but it has also fired and pushed out thousands of civil servants.
DHS expanding citizenship system for voter verification, despite concerns about potential disenfranchisement
Twenty-six states are in line to use a revamped DHS system to check their voter rolls for non-citizens, although the network has raised concerns about privacy and accuracy — including if it could kick eligible voters off the rolls.
Breaking News
Government to reopen after House votes to end longest-ever shutdown
Many furloughed workers, who will receive backpay, were already told Wednesday to report to work the following day for the first time in nearly six weeks.
Nearly 20 Democratic states inadvertently share driver data with ICE, lawmakers say
Nlets, a nonprofit law enforcement info-sharing network, can share state residents’ information with immigration agencies, federal lawmakers said Wednesday.
Breaking News
Senate moves shutdown-ending deal that would ensure backpay and unwind some federal layoffs
A bipartisan agreement to end the longest-ever government shutdown, would fund some agencies through fiscal 2026 and the rest through January, and guarantee backpay for furloughed workers.
IRS returns to relying on tax prep companies for free filing options without Direct File
A new report from the tax agency that was requested by congressional Republicans said that dropping Direct File “is in the best interests of American taxpayers and the IRS.”
Exclusive
Direct File won’t happen in 2026, IRS tells states
The free service that allowed taxpayers to file online directly with the IRS was used by hundreds of thousands of taxpayers in 2024 and 2025, who gave it high marks — although tax prep companies and Republicans have sought its end.
CBP expands facial recognition for non-citizens at borders
U.S. citizens can opt out of the facial recognition process, which CBP intends to expand to all air, sea and land ports.
SBA probing 8(a) fraud allegations at tribal-owned contractor
ATI Government Solutions and the Susanville Indian Rancheria tribe are suspended from federal business activities pending the probe’s completion and findings.
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House Dem demands furloughs end for nuclear security agency
Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., called on the Energy Secretary to end shutdown-related furloughs for roughly 1,400 personnel in the National Nuclear Security Administration that began this week.
Dueling plans to pay feds on-time fail in Senate, though a bipartisan path forward appears
Sens. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., and Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., appeared to agree to negotiations Thursday afternoon on a plan to pay federal employees and potentially contractors amid the ongoing government shutdown.
Judiciary Democrats launch watchdog website amid withheld funding from inspector general group
The lawmakers are maintaining hotline information for over 20 OIGs, as watchdogs scramble to set up temporary websites after the White House withheld funding from the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency.
Exclusive
Labor Department looks to pilot intaking unemployment claims for states
The effort follows the department’s notice that it may create a national claims database, a move critics say raises cybersecurity, privacy and surveillance risks.
Class action lawsuit alleges data consolidation within USCIS is illegal
Plaintiffs represented by a coalition of advocacy groups have argued that drawing searchable data from other government agencies into a system maintained by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services “far exceed” that system’s scope.
Trump administration knocks out at least 15 oversight websites, saying IGs 'lied to the public'
It's not a shutdown issue: the White House is withholding funds from the umbrella organization for the government's inspectors general.
Government spirals toward shutdown with Trump promising mass layoffs
A last-ditch effort to keep government funded failed Tuesday night. Agencies will begin furloughing staff on Wednesday.
A shutdown will slow tech modernization, experts warn
Even after a shutdown ends, restarting stalled IT work doesn’t happen immediately.
