Modernization
DHS faces slow disaster response burdened by legacy systems, officials warn
Officials told a Senate committee on Wednesday that the Department of Homeland Security had severely outdated information technology systems across various components.
Policy
US deploys tech diplomacy to cultivate leadership in emerging fields
The Biden administration’s latest foreign policy pillar prioritizes uniform standards on critical technologies within ally nations.
Modernization
Debt ceiling politics could derail plans for modernizing unemployment benefits delivery
The department has a plan to build on modular modernization advances piloted in New Jersey, but provisions in the debt ceiling compromise legislation could claw back funding pledged in the American Rescue Plan Act.
Digital Government
NASA team’s plan to decode UFO sightings hinges on better data
The space agency is convening an independent panel to publish a report later this summer featuring best practices for data collection on unidentified anomalous phenomena.
Artificial Intelligence
AI and China are ‘defining challenges of our time,’ CISA director says
Artificial intelligence’s potential as an “extinction event” for humanity prompted CISA Director Jen Easterly to advise companies to “think about self-regulation” for product security and safety.
Cybersecurity
Unmonitored networks put US nuclear arsenal at risk, GAO finds
A Government Accountability Office report found that the Energy Department cannot effectively monitor potential insider threats to U.S. nuclear security because department staff “have not identified the total number of DOE’s stand-alone classified networks.”
Emerging Tech
Clean energy advancements hinge on steady funding, Energy official says
Accelerating critical technologies to support a robust clean energy economic sector is a top priority for the agency’s 2024 budget request.
Policy
Agencies launch initiative to better identify minority-owned contractors
The joint effort between the Small Business Administration and the General Services Administration aims to make it easier for federal procurement officials to connect with small, disadvantaged businesses across sectors.
Digital Government
Debt limit deal would save feds' paychecks, but freeze agency spending
The agreement also reduces shutdown threats, plus other takeaways for federal employees.
Modernization
Budget and tech challenges loom over IRS's direct file pilot
The news of the forthcoming pilot was followed this week by a compromise debt ceiling bill that includes reallocating $20 billion of the funding the IRS got as part of the Inflation Reduction Act.
Cybersecurity
GAO identifies new infosec deficiencies in IRS system controls
The watchdog's annual audit of the agency turned up new recommendations on system access controls and security configurations, alongside a limited release report and previous recommendations.
Cybersecurity
DOD Submits Classified Cyber Strategy to Congress
An unclassified fact sheet released by the Pentagon said the new strategy will continue efforts to conduct “hunt forward operations”’ with U.S. allies and “defend forward” activities meant to disrupt threat actors on their own turf.
Acquisition
CIO-SP4 protests move toward final decision
No action appears likely to resolve the 130-plus protests involving this $50 billion IT vehicle, which indicates the Government Accountability Office will decide on the contract's next steps.
Cybersecurity
Agencies Warn of State-Sponsored Volt Typhoon’s Hacking Tactics
In collaboration with international and private sector partners, CISA released a new advisory warning network defenders of PRC-linked Volt Typhoon’s infiltration tactics.
Policy
Does Congress need a chief data officer?
A new joint resolution would establish a bipartisan commission to look at what legislators need in terms of data, evidence and professional capacity.
Digital Government
With Days Until Feds Could Miss Paychecks, White House and Republicans Inch Closer to Averting a Default
The gap between the two sides is narrowing.
Digital Government
Debt Defaults are Not Shutdowns, But Both Raise Money Fears
Question number one that companies in the government market want answered is how payments for their work on contracts will, or will not, happen in a debt default situation. No one knows for sure.
Digital Government
SSA says it will offer data matches to government benefit programs
The Social Security Administration offers data validation services for the financial services sector. It now says it plans to offer similar verification services to government benefit programs.
Cybersecurity
DHS' cyber agency seeks small biz support for strategic planning
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has set a date to explain its changes to a management consulting services contract.
Digital Government