Ideas

Fun With Math: Budget $$$

The Center for American Progress has launched an <a href="http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2010/03/discretionary_spending_interactive.html">interactive pie chart</a> that lets users zoom in to see which programs are considered discretionary versus mandatory in the annual federal budget. President Obama's budget proposes a three-year <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2011/assets/responsibility.pdf">governmentwide freeze</a> on nonsecurity discretionary spending to save $250 billion over the next decade.

Digital Government

Big Brother Eyes Health Records?

The use of scare tactics to undermine health reform continues. Fox News suggested this week that efforts to expand the use of electronic medical records raise concerns "about government access to Americans' medical history ... and what the government will do once it has access to Americans' medical history."

Digital Government

Commemorating Vietnam Vets in N.M.

On March 29, a statue depicting a kneeling soldier paying homage to a fallen comrade will be dedicated at the <a href=http://www.nmvetsmemorial.org/>New Mexico Veterans' Memorial</a> adjacent to Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque.

Cybersecurity

Most Dangerous Attacks - Day 1

I cross paths with the world's best and brightest cybersecurity minds everyday. So, when <a href="http://www.inguardians.com/">Ed Skoudis</a>, a founder and senior security consultant with InGuardians, provided me with a list of today's most dangerous attack vectors for a project we're working on, I knew it deserved exposure.

Ideas

House Panel Clears Grid Security Bill

The Energy and Environment Subcommittee passed a bill on Wednesday to protect the nation's electricity grid from terrorism and cyber threats.

Digital Government

What Millennials Want

Federal human resources professionals have long contended that the government will be challenged by the younger generation's unwillingness to stay put at a job. Labor Department figures, which estimate that millennials will hold an average of 10 jobs before they turn 38, have backed up this belief.

People

Bill would vaccinate Tricare against reform complications

A Senate bill, introduced the day before President Obama signed the health care reform law, would change the IRS code on behalf of those in military health plans.

Digital Government

Crime Scene Investigation: Traditional Media

Anthony Zuiker drew those infamous white chalk lines around traditional media during his speech at FOSE on March 23.

People

DOD acquisition process 'fails the mission,' congressional panel says

The Defense Acquisition Reform panel concludes that DOD's mishandling of acquisitions and procurement fails to fulfill current military's mission needs and contributes to massive cost overruns.

People

Senators press for broader definition of 'inherently governmental' jobs

A contingent of 11 Democratic senators urged the Office of Management and Budget to more broadly define what constitutes inherently governmental job categories that can be performed only by federal civil servants.

People

Lawmaker wants more technology for transparency

A new House bill would require the use of technologies to increase disclosures from lobbyists and lawmakers.

Ideas

GOP Finds its Tweet Voice

The Republican Party was criticized after the 2008 elections for being outdone by Democrats in using social networking to raise money. The party is a quick learner, it seems.

Digital Government

Senators get in on Internet freedom push

A bipartisan group of senators has formed a caucus to thwart Internet censorship outside the United States.

Digital Government

DEA issues rule on e-prescribing for controlled drugs

The Drug Enforcement Administration's new interim final rule would allow doctors and dentists who e-prescribe controlled substances to use their fingerprints or other biometric data to prove their identity.

Digital Government

White House wants students' brainy broadband ideas

It's fine to solicit ideas from the crowd, but when you want something that’s really focused on solutions, you need to go directly to the brainy bunch.

People

Tricare extends Web-based mental health counseling demo

The Tricare Assistance Program allows enrollees to use the Internet and a webcam to speak "face-to-face" with mental health counselors 24 hours a day, seven days a week from the privacy of the beneficiary's computer.

People

GSA tries wiki approach to develop RFPs

The General Services Administration wants public commment on requests for proposals, but blogger Steve Kelman wonders whether the public take the agency up on it.

People

Telework bill moves forward in House

The Telework Improvements Act of 2009 (H.R. 1722) would require agencies to develop a telework program that allows employees to telework at least 20 percent of the hours worked in every two administrative workweeks.

Digital Government

Reporter's notebook from FOSE: Q&A with GSA's administrator

After her keynote address at the FOSE 2010, Martha Johnson, administrator of the General Services Administration, sat down with reporters. Here is a transcript of what she said about green IT, tapping the collective intelligence, collaboration and the state of telework.