Digital Government

New rule eliminates state regs on VA telehealth

Medical practitioners in the Veterans Health Administration system will be able to conduct telehealth appointments regardless of location under the new "anywhere-to-anywhere" rule.

Modernization

GSA Needs Vendor Volunteers to Test FedBizOpps API

Companies have until May 25 to volunteer to test the new API interface between FBO.gov and beta.SAM.gov.

Cybersecurity

Lawmakers Reintroduce Bill to Bar Government Encryption Backdoors

The move comes as Attorney General Jeff Sessions is pushing for legislation to allow access to encrypted communications.

Modernization

Bill Would Set 2-Year Deadline for Agencies to Get Digital

The 21st Century IDEA would require agencies to have a digital option for all paper-based forms and in-person interactions.

Cybersecurity

Cyber deterrence is about more than punching back

Politicians and experts routinely call for a strategy that imposes costs on nation states for cyberattacks, but going on offense isn't always the answer.

Acquisition

NGA deputy director talks acquisition overhaul

National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Deputy Director Justin Poole said the key to acquisition reform is more autonomy.

Cybersecurity

Drawing 'red lines' for threats against the grid

Advancing energy distribution technology can blunt cyber threats to America’s electrical systems, but malicious actors need to know what actions will have consequences, according to experts.

Acquisition

Senate probes VA's electronic health record spending

Multiple delays in signing a contract for a commercial electronic health record have lawmakers wondering when the money they appropriated will be spent.

Policy

Congress Is Quietly Nudging NASA to Look for Aliens

The space agency hasn't funded the search for extraterrestrial intelligence for 25 years. Could that soon change?

Artificial Intelligence

White House Announces Select Committee of Federal AI Experts

The new interagency group will coordinate artificial intelligence programs and research across government.

Digital Government

Thornberry tries to hold back efforts to erode 'fourth estate' reforms in FY19 NDAA

As members of the House Armed Services Committee debated late into the night marking up the defense bill, the chairman pushed back on attempts to undo plans to examine combining or eliminating Pentagon back office functions.

Emerging Tech

10 Drone Programs Get Federal OK To Break The Rules

The public-private partnerships will test the use of drones in heretofore forbidden conditions, under the oversight of the Transportation Department and FAA.

Cybersecurity

House Panel Approves More Military Cyber Support for Critical infrastructure

The pilot program would allow the Pentagon to lend cyber troops to the Homeland Security Department.