Digital Government

Bill Aims to Counter China with International Technology Partnership

The bill aims to imbue democratic values in technologies like artificial intelligence and 5G.

Digital Government

TMF money, more leave in Senate's take on COVID relief

The $1.9 trillion relief package could give federal employees up to 15 weeks of pandemic-related paid leave.

Emerging Tech

HHS Aims to Accelerate Technologies for Combatting Lyme Disease

The often-overlooked illness radically disrupts hundreds of thousands of lives each year.

Ideas

It’s Time for a Cybersecurity Quid Pro Quo

Require companies to disclose breaches to the government in exchange for legal liability limitations. 

People

OPM tells agencies to restart union talks to uproot Trump-era orders

The Office of Personnel Management is looking to remove vestiges of workforce executive orders from the Trump administration from federal agency contracts with employee unions, including restrictions on official time and union use of agency facilities.

Acquisition

House GOP urges increase in defense spending

House Republicans are urging the Biden administration to seek an increase in defense spending in the upcoming budget request to better compete with China and "fill ongoing readiness gaps."

Digital Government

Quick Hits

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Digital Government

FCW Insider: March 5

The latest news and analysis from FCW's reporters and editors.

Ideas

Social Media Checks Can Bring Bias into Hiring

“One of the things that cropped up repeatedly was that cybervetting not only judges people’s behavior, but how that behavior is presented,” said a researcher.

Cybersecurity

Under new law, NIST looks to map out vulnerability disclosure policies for government

Lawmakers in December tasked NIST with to developing processes that would ensure software vulnerability reports flow to the appropriate government offices and the issues are promptly fixed.

Cybersecurity

NIST Planning Workshop to Comply with Law on Federal IoT Procurement

Comments on draft documents required under the IoT Cybersecurity Improvement Act raise concerns of both fragmentation and a lack of flexibility.

Cybersecurity

Biden’s Pick For Defense Policy Chief Outlines Cyber Deterrence Position

In a contentious nomination hearing, Colin Kahl called for a whole-of-government approach to technology.

People

No new OMB pick yet, White House says

In her daily briefing, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that Shalanda Young could serve as budget director on an acting basis if confirmed as deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget.

Digital Government

DHS Launching Voluntary COVID-19 Contact Tracing Program

Employees will be able to self-report a positive diagnosis through the ServiceNow help desk and official contact tracers will follow up with anyone who might have been exposed.

Digital Government

Thousands of Federal Employees Are Deploying to Support Vaccination Efforts

Workers at several agencies are assisting in the initiative.

People

Republicans slam Biden's defense policy pick for past tweets

Colin Kahl, the Biden administration's pick to be the undersecretary of defense for policy, talked cyber and defense while dodging critiques on past social media posts.

Emerging Tech

DARPA, In-Q-Tel to Help 150 Research Teams Take Tech from Labs to Production Over the Next Five Years

The expansion of the Embedded Entrepreneurship Initiative also marks its transition to a formalized program. 

Emerging Tech

FAA Names Five Host Airports to Test Counter-Drone Tech

The ultimate aim is to create national airport standards for drone detection and mitigation.

People

OMB orders agencies to stop enforcing Trump's diversity training purge

A recent OMB memo tells agencies to remove contracting clauses related to Trump's diversity training executive order.