Policy
Oversight Chairman Comer: ‘We’re two years behind in oversight’
Meanwhile, Democrats say Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), the incoming chairman of the newly renamed House Oversight and Accountability Committee, is hypocritical and partisan.
Digital Government
The National Intelligence Director: Over-Classification Undermines Democracy
The ongoing investigations into handling of sensitive documents by former presidents and vice presidents have brought potential problems with the classification system back into the spotlight.
Ideas
That Time the Federal Government Was Ruled By Czars
How a term for Russian oligarchs came to be applied to American government officials.
Policy
House lawmakers want VA's $20 billion-plus electronic health record program to improve or else
Senior Republicans on the House Veterans Affairs Committee are backing legislation to end the troubled program to replace the Department of Veterans Affairs' homegrown electronic health record system with commercial software from Oracle-Cerner -- unless the program can hit performance targets and satisfy top hospital officials.
Cybersecurity
Republicans announce new congressional cyber subcommittee leadership
A New York Republican is taking over a powerful House Homeland Security subcommittee tasked with overseeing efforts to improve federal network security and the nation’s cyber defense agency.
Emerging Tech
NOAA Seeks Input on Future Space Situational Awareness Safety Services
The agency’s Office of Space Commerce seeks comment on its planned basic services and who should provide them as it looks to monitor satellites and orbital debris.
Ideas
Why Zoom Happy Hours Fall Flat
Booze and in-person gatherings just go together. Virtually, not so much.
Emerging Tech
FTC Votes to Finalize Data Security Order for Ed Tech Website
The FTC issued another set of requirements for online businesses handling sensitive consumer data following multiple data breaches.
Digital Government
VA is Working to Add New Features to its Health and Benefits App
The VA’s mobile phone app, which surpassed one million downloads last year, is rolling out new prescription refill and travel reimbursement services for veterans in the coming months.
Emerging Tech
Video Game Technology Tapped to Medically Train Astronauts for Future Moon and Mars Missions
Ultimately, lives might depend on the quality of that training.
Ideas
Vaccination to Prevent Dementia? New Research Suggests Viral Infections can Accelerate Neurodegeneration
Avoiding viruses over decades may help humans avoid Alzheimer's disease.
People
Congressional Democrats propose an 8.7% pay raise for feds in 2024
The annually introduced bill would provide a 4.7% across-the-board increase in basic pay and an average 4% increase to locality pay.
Emerging Tech
Energy Issues Over $9M in Quantum Research Funding
13 projects will receive funding over the course of three years, all of which apply quantum technology to solving nuclear physics problems.
Defense
GAO: DOD needs better guidance, resources for contested information environment training
The government watchdog said that while defense officials have emphasized decision-based training for combatting disinformation, its guidance isn't clear about how military leaders are supposed to approach the curriculum.
Emerging Tech
Treasury Looks for New Tech to Prove Physical Money is Legit
The counterfeit detection methods could include both device assisted and non-device assisted features.
Defense
The Pentagon’s innovation shop wants more influence in 2023
The agency wants to be part of program executives’ acquisition strategies and to spread more commercial-based tech across the department.
Acquisition
Energy Dept. makes plans to take its HR system to the cloud
DOE says it is looking to become the first federal agency to launch a fully cloud-based human resources system, and possibly become a shared-services provider in the future.
Digital Government
Chinese Spy Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison
The foreign national intended to obtain U.S. citizenship and a security clearance in order to get a federal government cybersecurity position.
Emerging Tech
NSF to Helm Nearly $50M Semiconductor Public-Private Partnership
The National Science Foundation will work alongside four private sector companies to spur developments in the U.S.-based semiconductor manufacturing field.
Digital Government