Ideas

Why formal government communications work better than informal ones

A study looks at how expectations of government style influence how citizens respond to messaging.

Policy

Another Democrat joins chorus of concerns about CBP’s mobile app

Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) is the latest to express concerns about CBP's mobile application and its role in the asylum process. 

Artificial Intelligence

Biden Admin to Debut New Emerging Tech Policies at Summit for Democracy

The virtual conference will spotlight how to marry emerging technologies with democratic values, and the U.S. will spearhead new initiatives domestically and abroad.

People

CISA director says agency is working on cyber workforce gaps

From leveraging new hiring authorities to reskilling and training initiatives, Jen Easterly said CISA plans to reduce its job vacancies to less than 8% by 2024. 

Digital Government

Partnerships and Improved Data May Bolster U.S. Weather Predictions

Weather experts at a Congressional hearing for the reauthorization of the Weather Act noted that collaborating to collect more data and improve its assimilation will help improve weather predictions.

Acquisition

NASA plans to consolidate cloud contracts

Several existing cloud contracts will be combined into a $685M small business vehicle under NASA's Solutions for Enterprise Wide Procurement.

Cybersecurity

New Cyber Reports Will Show the Value of CISA Budget Investments, Director Says

Cyber incident reports will be shared with the agency under the soon-to-be implemented requirements of the Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act.

Artificial Intelligence

'New Threats' to National Security Are Created by Emerging Tech, DHS Chief Says

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas highlighted a few of the technologies endangering national security during a Tuesday Senate hearing.

Digital Government

Report: These 9 Trends are Reshaping Government in 2023

Technology and improved digital service delivery factor into many trends identified in a March report.

Ideas

When it Comes to Explaining Elections in Congress, Gerrymandering is Overrated

Both sides complain of gerrymandering, but statistics suggests neither side really benefits.

Artificial Intelligence

ChatGPT for State and Local Agencies? Not so Fast.

Tasks that can benefit from automation such as software development, traffic management or rote tasks are good candidates for ChatGPT, but those that need more subjectivity still require human intervention, experts say.

People

ODNI official details efforts to use automation to speed talent recruitment timelines

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s assistant director for human capital said the agency is looking to recruit blue chip talent in former college athletes, and is leveraging technology to speed up hiring. 

Policy

Senators Reintroduce Bill to Bolster Federal Data Center Security

The bipartisan legislation seeks to protect federal data centers from physical and digital threats by establishing minimum requirements to enhance the security of these critical facilities.

Digital Government

Planned Login-dot-gov deployment at IRS is postponed

The decision comes after concerns about implementing the sign-on service during tax season.

Artificial Intelligence

6 Agencies Launch Program to Build Prototype Open Knowledge Network

The prototype network is designed to provide an integrated data and knowledge infrastructure.

Cybersecurity

Biden Admin Targets ‘Misuse’ of Spyware with New Executive Order

The White House followed through on previous promises to pursue stronger oversight of commercial spyware companies and how their products are used in the U.S.

Digital Government

Senators Try Again to Advance Software License Bill

Sens. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) have brought back the Strengthening Agency Management and Oversight of Software Assets Act with a few new changes after the proposal came up short last fall.

Ideas

U.S. Autism Rates Hit All-Time High

“This is not just a phenomenon of becoming more sensitive to subtly impaired kids,” one of the report's authors said.

Digital Government

Lawmakers Need to Enhance VA’s Oversight of Oracle EHR Rollout or ‘Move On,’ Top Republican Says

House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chair Mike Bost, R-Ill., said Republicans and Democrats in both chambers of Congress are largely aligned “on what we know we want to fix and the problems that we’re seeing” with the deployment of VA’s new EHR system.