Digital Government
Agencies Meet Small Business Contract Goals
Eight receive an A+ procurement rating, the Small Business Administration says.
Digital Government
House Approves 3.1% Pay Raise and Blocks OPM Furloughs, Merger
Lawmakers dealt the Trump administration’s proposal to merge OPM and GSA another setback.
Modernization
Lawmakers: OMB ‘Skirting the Intent of the Law’ With New Data Center Policy
The administration’s shift in focus to optimization, rather than closures, is not what lawmakers envisioned when they passed FITARA.
Cybersecurity
Lawmakers Grapple with Improving Election Security While Respecting States’ Rights
Experts say paper ballots are the way to go, but pushed back against efforts to federalize elections.
Artificial Intelligence
Non-Discriminatory AI Requires a Human Touch, Experts Say
Interdisciplinary teams that include social scientists can help curb bias, experts told Congress.
Digital Government
'People Are Crying When They Come Into Work:' Unions Protest OPM-GSA Merger
Lawmakers said they will try to amend an appropriations bill to block the acting OPM director from following through on her threat to lay off 150 agency employees.
Cybersecurity
Agencies Are Leaving Sensitive Data Vulnerable to Hackers, Congress Says
Amid growing threats from China, Iran and Russia, most agencies are struggling to put in place even the most basic cybersecurity measures, according to congressional researchers.
Modernization
OMB Updates Data Center Optimization Initiative
The new policy bans agencies from budgeting resources toward new or expanded agency-owned data centers without permission from the Office of Management and Budget.
Policy
Supreme Court to Hear Challenge on State Code Copyrights
Georgia holds a copyright for its annotated state code, which sells for $404, and sued to block a website from distributing free copies of the document.
Policy
White House Wants to Know How Tech Can Help Prevent Veteran Suicides
The Office of Science and Technology Policy is asking for the public to weigh in on its veteran suicide prevention strategy.
Policy
GAO: Don’t Boot Emergency Personnel from T-Band Spectrum
First responders don’t have an easy replacement.
Modernization
White House Makes Subtle But Significant Changes In Final Cloud Smart Policy
The final version puts added emphasis on app rationalization, a new role for FedRAMP and finding cloud champions.
Artificial Intelligence
White House Updates National Artificial Intelligence Strategy
The updated National Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Strategic Plan adds an additional priority to the seven outlined in the plan from the Obama administration.
Cybersecurity
Bill Advances to Create Vulnerability Disclosure for Federal Internet of Things
Once established, federal agencies would have to make sure vendors were participating and in compliance before purchasing IoT-capable devices.
Digital Government
OPM Leader Threatens Furloughs, RIFs if Congress Doesn’t Approve GSA Merger
The administration has given lawmakers until the end of June to greenlight the merger, or else roughly 150 OPM employees could lose their jobs this fall.
Policy
House Appropriations Package Now Includes Contractor Back Pay
There is still a chance federal contractors unpaid during the 35-day shutdown could get back pay.
Ideas
To Fight Online Disinformation, Reinvigorate Media Policy
Disinformation, toxic speech, and polarization online are a result opaque digital information systems. The fix? We can start by updating the approach of media policy for the new environment.
Emerging Tech
House Oversight Votes to Secure Connected Devices in Government
The committee approved legislation that would enforce basic security standards for the numerous internet-connected devices used at federal agencies.
Digital Government
Federal Agencies Rank Dead Last in Forrester Customer Experience Index
Once again, only the National Park Service scored on par with the industry average.
Modernization