Emerging Tech
18F Launches New Portfolio to Target Defense and Intelligence Agencies
The government’s digital consultancy shop has gained some experience in defense and national security issues and has built a new service line to focus on those agencies.
Cybersecurity
Senate's CISA subpoena bill adds privacy protections to DHS proposal
The draft legislation would require DHS to set up internal protocols to document and justify how it uses the authority and report to Congress on its effectiveness.
Modernization
FITARA scores trend up, but concerns on data centers, CIO authorities remain
At the ninth House hearing on implementation of the Federal IT Acquisition Reform Act, many agencies showed improvement, but lawmakers cited familiar problems.
People
Shutdown threat stokes financial anxiety among feds
A new survey says annual leave, travel, spending are down as feds budget for furloughs or missing paychecks.
Ideas
What Can Drones Do to Protect Civilians in Armed Conflict?
The United Nations has been trying to figure that out.
Digital Government
FCW Insider: Dec. 12
The latest news and analysis from FCW's reporters and editors.
Cybersecurity
CISA subpoena bill set to land
The legislation will make a number of changes from a proposal submitted by DHS, narrowing the scope of the authorities to critical infrastructure IT and only for cybersecurity purposes.
Emerging Tech
House Passes Bill that Mandates TSA to Study Emerging Transportation Security Threats
The legislation calls for a task force to look into emerging cyber, chemical, drone and other threats.
Modernization
Federal CIO: It’s Time for Those Digital Transformations to Scale Up
In 2020, agencies will likely expand some of their new pilots and projects into enterprisewide solutions.
Cybersecurity
What the Defense Department’s Cyber Certification Will Mean for Small Businesses
The Pentagon lead for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program argued the move will be good for small contractors. And for those that don’t want to comply: Good riddance.
People
House passes 2020 NDAA
The Democratic-led House successfully passed the final version of the 2020 defense policy bill, which includes a three-year intelligence authorization bill and several tech investments.
Cybersecurity
Report: aviation industry playing catch up on cybersecurity
A new report from the Atlantic Council argues that aircrafts have become highly complex, "flying data centers," but the industry and government are behind on protecting them from cyber threats and sabotage.
Policy
Defense Policy Bill Establishes a Defense Civilian Training Corps
The corps will address “critical skills gaps” in the department’s workforce.
Acquisition
NDAA redesigns oversight of $20B in health record modernization
A provision in the National Defense Authorization Act reconfigures the existing DOD-VA Interagency Program Office to serve as a hub for interoperability and management issues as the two agencies progress in separate but linked implementations of commercial health records systems.
People
Lawmakers address federal pay inequities
The Locality Pay Equity Act would get rid of discrepancies in policies between General Schedule and Federal Wage System workers
Modernization
Agencies Turn In ‘Best FITARA Scorecard Ever’
Collectively, the federal government improved its oversight grades in IT modernization.
Digital Government
Congress Moves to Block OPM-GSA Merger
A provision in the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act would first require an independent study of the challenges facing the Office of Personnel Management.
Cybersecurity