Digital Government

First responders lobby Congress for more spectrum on safety network

A coalition of public safety organizations wants Congress to allocate an additional 10 MHz of radio spectrum to the planned national public safety network.

Modernization

Amtrak to offer passengers wireless Internet on high-speed trains

Railroad plans to expand the Wi-Fi to other trains, and the service could attract more business passengers, transportation specialists say.

Digital Government

More cyberattacks likely from group that took down Chinese search engine

The hack could be a peek at an ongoing cyberwar in which terrorists and governments find network weaknesses and gauge reaction to build cyberattack playbooks, says a security professional.

Digital Government

Cyberattack draws renewed attention to Internet freedom

Secretary of State Clinton demands explanation from Chinese government, saying 'the ability to operate with confidence in cyberspace is critical.'

Ideas

Social Security Pays Docs to E-file

The Social Security Administration, bogged down with a backlog of disability claims and oncoming onslaught of baby boomer paperwork, is trying to expedite processing by paying medical providers $15 to submit applicants' records electronically.

Digital Government

St. Damien and the Bureaucrats

I spent eight out of 12 days of my Hawaii Christmas vacation on the island of Molokai and decided it made sense to read a biography of <a href=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father_Damien>St. Damien</a>, the Belgian priest who volunteered to care for lepers banned to that island.

Ideas

Acquisitions Solutions Buys Consulting Firm

Acquisition Solutions Inc. purchased nearly all of the assets of ICOR Partners LLC, a government consulting firm, and has created a business unit to specialize in management solutions. Acquisition Solutions provides agencies with training sand program management services, development of contract requirements, and process improvement and other contracting support. ICOR offers enterprise architecture, governance, business transformation, performance and portfolio management advice.

Digital Government

State Pledges Support for Cyber Training

A <a href="http://issuu.com/cybermaryland/docs/cyberreport">report</a> released on Monday by the Maryland state government seeks to put the state at the center of the federal government's cybersecurity efforts. The report cites the presence of several federal agencies including the National Institute for Standards and Technology and the National Security Agency, as reasons why Maryland is the national leader in security the country's critical cyber infrastructures.

Digital Government

Senior lawmaker urges diligence on aviation screening technology

After the failed attempt to detonate a bomb aboard a commercial airliner, Rep. Bennie Thompson says information sharing and aviation security technologies demand immediate attention.

People

Got USPS mail? There's an app for that!

A free iPhone app from the Postal Services helps users find post offices and track mail via mobile phones.

People

Survey reveals discontent with pay-for-performance plans

Respondents to a Federally Employed Women survey said they were largely dissatisfied with government attempts to replace the General Schedule with pay-for-performance personnel systems.

People

The real reason behind the government brain drain

Federal agencies are so sensitive to the loss of institutional knowledge because their employees tend to stick around so long.

Cybersecurity

Maryland wants to be cybersecurity epicenter

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley wants Maryland to be recognized as the leading state for cybersecurity.