Policy

Agencies launch initiative to better identify minority-owned contractors

The joint effort between the Small Business Administration and the General Services Administration aims to make it easier for federal procurement officials to connect with small, disadvantaged businesses across sectors.

Congress Doesn’t Know How to Count the Number of National Security Professionals and That’s a Problem

Instead of addressing data security or IT policies around protecting classified information, Congress goes after numbers.

DHS Unveils Departmentwide Body Camera Policy

The new guidance restricts law enforcement agencies under DHS’s authority from using body-worn cameras “for the sole purpose of recording individuals who are engaged in activity protected by the First Amendment.”

IRS Will Test Government-run Free File System in 2024

The move could presage the large-scale deployment of free, government-furnished online tax prep services.

Survey: 45% of Gov Employees May Walk if Agencies Reduce Remote Work Flexibility

The survey suggests more than half of government employees prefer to work for an agency that offers hybrid and remote flexibility.

US Proposes Designating Portion of Radio Spectrum for 5G in the Americas

If approved, the proposal could enable countries in the Americas to use the band to deploy 5G mobile services. 

Feds Could Be Fired at Any Time for Any Reason, Under a Bill That Was Just Reintroduced

The bill also would abolish the Merit Systems Protection Board and threatens to reduce former federal employees’ retirement benefits if they file “frivolous” appeals of adverse personnel actions.

Biden Administration Examining How Companies Use AI to Surveil Employees

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy is seeking public feedback on companies’ use of artificial intelligence and automated systems to monitor employees.

Security a Top Priority in the Software Development Process, Report Finds

However, the government is lagging behind the private sector in using some of these tools.

GOP Lawmakers Call for Congressional Ban on Members Using TikTok

A coalition of 17 House and Senate GOP lawmakers called for an amendment to both chambers’ rules to bar members of Congress from using TikTok for official purposes.

21-Year-Old Air Force IT Specialist Charged With Leaking Classified Security Documents

A team of Justice and FBI agents arrested 21-year-old Jack Teixeira in Massachusetts in connection with the widespread intel leak.

This Agency’s Declassification Work Could Be a Model for Others

A new paper, based on consultations with government officials and others, looks at what the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency has done in recent years.

The Biden Administration Tells Agencies to Scale Back Telework

Federal employee unions and career agency HR leaders reportedly were left out of the development of a new Office of Management and Budget memo that instructs agencies to “substantially increase meaningful in-person work at federal offices.”

Senator Calls for Cybersecurity Audit of Law Enforcement Wireless Network

FirstNet is a cellular network built for first responders around the country, but at least one federal official told the senator’s office they had “no confidence” in the network’s security.

Proposed HIPAA Rule Would Restrict Law Enforcement Access to Abortion, Reproductive Health Data Across State Lines

The HHS published a proposed modification to HIPAA’s privacy rule, giving new protections to personal health information related to reproductive care history in the wake of Dobbs and the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

FCC Officially Launches Its Space Bureau

The agency launched the Space Bureau and Office of International Affairs after reorganizing its International Bureau.