Digital Government

So Many Earmarks, So Little Time

The 2010 Consolidated Appropriations Bill bundles spending for six departments - Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Justice, Labor, State and Veterans Affairs - into one Brobdingnagian pile of paper that makes it hard to figure out earmarks.

Ideas

Senators Want Answers on Networx

Whenever you've got what looks like a clear-cut case of government waste, some sort of manufactured political outrage inevitably follows. Taking up the mantle of the indignant taxpayer this week: Sens. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. The reason for their indignation? Millions in missed savings due to <a href="http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090814_8767.php?oref=search">delays in the transition</a> to the Networx telecom contract.

Modernization

IRS, Education to team up on electronic student aid form

The IRS and Education Department will release a new student aid form in January that is shorter and easier to complete, federal CIO Vivek Kundra says.

Digital Government

Labor-Management Forums Created

President Obama on Wednesday signed an <a href="http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=44213&dcn=todaysnews">executive order creating labor-management forums</a> within the government. The order creates forums at the agency level as well as a National Council on Federal Labor Management, which will include all of the major federal unions and employee groups and will be led by the deputy director for the Office of Management and Budget and the director of the Office of Personnel Management.

Digital Government

Nominate Your Favorite Fed

The Partnership for Public Service announced on Wednesday that nominations are now open for the 2010 Service to America Medals awards program for federal employees.

Cybersecurity

House passes bill to require data breach notifications

The House has passed a bill that would standardize how businesses must notify people put at risk after they improperly discloses personal data electronically.

Digital Government

Droid does it better

The new Verizon Wireless Droid by Motorola is a phone that could really change the industry, and the way the federal government does its job.

Modernization

DOE uses cloud computing for science, CIO says

Energy Department CIO Tom Pyke today outlined some benefits from using cloud computing for scientific computations.

Modernization

Cloud computing could pave way for open government

Federal agencies might need cloud computing as a way to meet new mandates to share information with the public, experts say. Meanwhile, the Defense Department falls in line with President Barack Obama's directive for open government.

People

'Daily Show’ chides Kundra, Chopra, and burns TSA

Jon Stewart took some jabs at Kundra and Chopra on the Daily Show for some awkward moments in a recent episode of Open for Questions.

Digital Government

FDA readies new data systems for drug safety

Government Computer News

Digital Government

Business starts slowly on GSA's huge IT contract

Sales volume on Alliant running behind pace of contracts it replaced, but agency officials say purchasing is where it should be for a new contract.

Digital Government

Tech firm stands accused of contract manipulation

Three Texas companies file a motion against GTSI for circumventing competitive bidding requirements.

Cybersecurity

Technology a winner in conferees' consolidated spending bill

Committee gives millions of dollars more to IT programs, including cybersecurity, for fiscal 2010.

Digital Government

Top IT officials say transparency will improve project management

Chief information and technology officers tell senators open government directive will increase oversight of investments.