Cybersecurity
CISA resources ‘more limited than I would like’ amid shutdown, top official says
Many “preparatory activities” and “outreach that we’d typically be able to do” are not allowed during an ongoing DHS shutdown, Nick Andersen told lawmakers.
People
Gruenbaum heading for the exit from GSA
Laura Stanton will lead the General Services Administration’s acquisition shop on an interim basis.
Policy
Senate passes 10-day FISA extension after House revolt sinks long-term deal
The short-term patch was cleared by unanimous consent hours after the House sank a five-year proposal and had to pivot to the 10-day stopgap. It now goes to President Donald Trump’s desk.
Policy
House passes 10-day FISA extension after prospects of long-term deal collapse
The short-term patch was cleared via unanimous consent after opposition from many Democrats and GOP hardliners sank a 5-year proposal with reforms not satisfactory to privacy advocates.
Emerging Tech
Secret Service is embracing new solutions to combat malicious drones, director says
U.S. Secret Service Director Sean Curran explained that the agency is “looking at kinetic solutions — something that we haven’t done before, and something that I’ve asked our technology department to lean into.”
Artificial Intelligence
AI is helping VA speed up claims processing, but Dems worry about errors
“Speed does not equal success,” Rep. Tim Kennedy, D-N.Y., said about VA’s use of automation and AI to process veterans’ benefits claims.
Policy
DOJ to appeal intelligence court ruling over use of spying power
A judge on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court took issue with how spy agencies use filtering tools to sift through raw data collected by the FISA 702 program.
Artificial Intelligence
Agencies report over 3,000 AI use cases in 2025
The number of reported use cases more than doubled from 2024, revealing the federal government’s continued appetite to acquire advanced artificial intelligence for its workflows.
Exclusive
Digital Government
VA has touted appointment wait time reductions, but new data shows a more mixed reality
A comparative analysis of select wait-time data for new patients at more than 100 medical centers indicates the department has made progress in some areas, but not all.
People
OPM cuts degree requirements for government tech jobs in new standards
The changes have been years in the making and represent a federal hiring apparatus more focused on applicable skills than specific backgrounds.
Ideas
How to scale value without scaling complexity
COMMENTARY | Instead of doing more with less, organizations should have experts focus on what they do best.
People
Pentagon announces senior appointments to CIO’s office
"Their collective expertise in cybersecurity, defense innovation, and enterprise-level strategy is exactly what we need to accelerate our mission,” Defense CIO Kirsten Davies said about her new leadership team.
Cybersecurity
Expect more cybersecurity executive orders soon, national cyber director says
Sean Cairncross also said that his office and others in the administration are in touch with AI and tech companies following Anthropic’s Project Glasswing announcement.
Policy
House readies vote to renew FISA 702 without a warrant amendment
GOP leadership is confronting a possible shortfall in support.
People
House Dems: OPM ‘omitted’ employee departures from retirement backlog investigation
In responding to a December 2025 congressional inquiry, the Office of Personnel Management noted the separation of around 35 customer service representatives last year, but failed to mention more than 100 departures from its Retirement Services division.
Emerging Tech
Senate committee approves quantum reauthorization bill with 7 amendments
A markup in the Senate Commerce Committee outfitted the National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization Act to support near-term quantum application development, cybersecurity migration timelines and scaling testbeds for quantum sciences and technologies.
People
CISA cancels CyberCorps summer internship hiring amid DHS shutdown
The reversal presents a major setback for students who had secured internships after months of confusion about their job outcomes.
Artificial Intelligence
World needs to ‘get ready’ for more powerful AI, Anthropic co-founder says
The company’s powerful Mythos, unveiled earlier this month, won’t be the only supercharged AI system to hit the market, Jack Clark said.
Modernization
VA resumes EHR rollouts at four Michigan medical sites
The Department of Veterans Affairs previously paused most deployments of its modernized electronic health record system in April 2023 following a series of performance and technical issues.
People