Digital Government
SSA opens online application for core disability program
The online version of the form is limited to certain applicants.
People
Federal employees could be more easily removed under new House bill
Rep. Barry Loudermilk’s, R-Ga., MERIT Act proposes radical civil service reforms, including repealing statutes governing unacceptable performance actions, ending union grievances based on adverse personnel actions and prohibiting furlough appeals.
People
Intelligence CIO moves to helm IT at the National Institutes of Health
Adele Merritt, who served as CIO for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence since January 2022, took over as the NIH CIO on Dec. 16.
Cybersecurity
CISA issues updated draft of national cyber incident response plan
The NCIRP was first released in 2016. The updates include pathways for non-federal groups to get involved in responding to devastating cyberattacks.
Acquisition
Groundswell's legal fight for $1B Army ERP contract moves to records access
Groundswell wants a former SAP executive to look at competition documents, but the winner Accenture Federal Services is pushing back.
People
Could Biden’s recent strategy to streamline government hiring be scuttled under Trump?
One of the purposes of the administration’s federal hiring improvement plan is to make agencies aware of hiring tools they already have access to.
Acquisition
A decade-old risk led to ‘phenomenal partnership’ between AWS and the intel community
The move to bring highly classified systems to the cloud was uncharted territory for both the company and the CIA.
Digital Government
OMB releases federal tech impact report as Biden admin winds down
Clare Martorana, the federal CIO, says she expects federal IT to stay bipartisan.
Digital Government
Then and now: Census Bureau readies release of American Community Survey
The agency compared the most recent information with the numbers from 1974, and in several places it was clear that the country has changed quite a lot.
Cybersecurity
Salt Typhoon attacks prompt talk of hacking back against China
In classified settings, lawmakers have often asked national security officials why American cyber forces don’t go on the attack more often, one senator said.
Defense
Defense officials hopeful incoming administration keeps funding cutting-edge tech
Amid competing priorities, they pitched dual-use research as key to competing with China.
People
Get to know the 2024 Rising Stars
These winners have demonstrated leadership and commitment to how government serves the American people.
Cybersecurity
Agencies look to automation software to usher in next phase of post-quantum security
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is working with select agencies to implement post-quantum cryptography, and will turn to vendors to further secure federal data.
Digital Government
Republican lawmakers ask Trump to kill IRS Direct File
The new program intended to enable free, online tax filing directly with the government has garnered controversy and praise since its inception.
Ideas
Playing to win: A Tale of two cities
COMMENTARY | With thousands of pages of regulations and an ingrained culture of risk aversion, we have too often been paralyzed by the fear of making mistakes.
Cybersecurity
Senate bill would require FCC to issue binding cyber rules for telecom firms
The measure from Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore. comes in the wake of Chinese-backed hackers breaching a swath of major telecommunications providers.
People
Ernst’s report documenting telework ‘abuse’ obscures more than it reveals
The Iowa senator and head of a new caucus related to President-elect Trump’s planned government efficiency commission misrepresented key statistics regarding telework’s usage at federal agencies.
Emerging Tech
FY2025 NDAA angles to enhance DOD’s AI and quantum sciences capabilities
The FY2025 National Defense Authorization Act again stipulates more AI and quantum information sciences programming for a variety of U.S. military operations.
Digital Government
House passes SHARE IT Act aimed at custom code in government
Agencies could save money if they shared such code, lawmakers say.
Cybersecurity