People
GOP rep wants feds back in the office
Rep. Jody Hice, the top Republican on the House Subcommittee on Government Operations, says that recent CDC guidance on masks, vaccination and social distancing means that it's time for the federal government to move away from the emergency pandemic footing.
Emerging Tech
FTC Data Captures Record Surge in Cryptocurrency Scams
An official explained how “there are at least a couple of things in play” that are contributing to the highs.
Acquisition
Is it time to test the limits -- and potential -- of expanding CMMC?
Calls for a certified baseline of cybersecurity seem to increase with every cyberattack. Is the CMMC model the right template for a universal and independently verifiable way to protect supply chains?
Digital Government
Democratic Lawmakers Urge Biden to Act on Gender-Neutral Federal IDs
The administration promised to allow nonbinary and intersex people to get passports that reflect their gender identities. Rep. Ro Khanna told The 19th an executive order is a “good first step.”
Digital Government
Former Defense Secretary Joins Counter-Drone Startup
Mark Esper will serve on the Epirus board of directors.
Digital Government
FCC Creates Public Database to Track Compliance with New Robocall-Killing Program
Telephone service providers must implement the new STIR/SHAKEN framework by the end of June and certify compliance in a new publicly available database.
People
Few agencies sought Schedule F conversions
In the waning days of the Trump administration, only a relative handful out of hundreds of eligible agencies and department responded to an executive order that looked to reclassify vast swathes of the federal civil service as at-will employees.
Ideas
The Cybersecurity Executive Order Is a Missed Opportunity
This executive order is designed to strengthen federal cybersecurity, not that of the private sector, including critical infrastructure providers.
Digital Government
Vaccinated Individuals No Longer Need Masks in Federal Buildings
The Office of Management and Budget informed agencies following a change in public health guidance.
Podcasts
Critical Update: Do You Know What’s In Your Software?
In the wake of several major cybersecurity incidents, the government wants to shore up its software supply chain. Two experts explain the merits of some approaches and why there’s no silver bullet.
Cybersecurity
Leveraging the TMF for the secure modernization of high value assets
Prioritizing Technology Modernization Fund dollars for systems that support high-impact programs can drive major improvements in how IT supports key government missions.
Digital Government
FCW Insider: May 18, 2021
The latest news and analysis from FCW's reporters and editors.
Digital Government
3 Cabinet Secretaries on How Their Experiences Inform Their Leadership and Pandemic Response
Marcia Fudge, Jennifer Granholm and Gina Raimondo said they all had to staff up when they started running their agencies — but that it gave them a chance to diversify.
Artificial Intelligence
Senate Bills Aim to Grow Federal Tech-Ready Workforce—and the Government’s Transparency About its AI Use
Lawmakers moved to operationalize suggestions made by a Congressionally-mandated AI commission.
Modernization
If the Pentagon Drops JEDI, Then What?
Defense Department officials say the contract’s enterprisewide capabilities are still needed, but how to fill that need may be different given the department’s changing cloud landscape.
Cybersecurity
Pipeline Security Act Reintroduced in House
More than a dozen lawmakers have cosponsored the legislation following the Colonial Pipeline attack.
Digital Government
DOD Lifts Mask Mandate for Fully Vaccinated Personnel
Fully vaccinated DOD personnel are no longer required to wear a mask at Defense Department facilities.
Cybersecurity
Can NTSB-style oversight work for cybersecurity?
President Joe Biden's new cybersecurity executive order calls for a safety review board to examine the attack against SolarWinds as well as other significant cybersecurity incidents moving forward.
Digital Government