Digital Government
Senators demand details on DOGE’s data access following revelations of improperly shared SSA data
While Sens. Michael Crapo, R-Idaho, and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., are asking for more information from SSA, Democrats in the lower chamber want to compel the agency to hand it over using a “resolution of inquiry.”
Digital Government
DOGE officials face Hatch Act referrals for work with org aiming to ‘overturn election results’
DOGE employees also shared Social Security data using the third-party server Cloudflare, and according to new court documents, SSA still doesn’t know what data was shared and if its still on Cloudflare.
Policy
Trump administration gets less tech funding than requested in new bicameral bills
The fund that supports the U.S. DOGE Service would receive less than half of what was requested, and the bills do not include explicit reauthorization for the Technology Modernization Fund.
People
US DOGE Service is hiring following mass workforce losses across the government
The group housing Trump’s controversial cost-cutting program is one of several tech teams that are recruiting.
People
New nonprofit aimed at strengthening government effectiveness is launched by former Democratic White House staffers
While the Trump administration has pursued cuts to agency workforces and programs in a quest to improve efficiency, the CEO of Governmental Renewal said that the new nonpartisan organization is not “a response to specific actions underway today.”
Digital Government
DOGE no longer has ‘centralized leadership’ under White House tech team, personnel head says
The team that was altered to house DOGE — formerly the U.S. Digital Service — is also still doing its own technology work across agencies.
Digital Government
Satisfaction with government services rises, despite recent layoffs and turmoil
The Trump administration has touted some service delivery projects and launched a design initiative, but it has also fired and pushed out thousands of civil servants.
People
Longtime Agriculture tech executive departs government
Gary Washington, USDA’s long-serving chief information officer, is leaving government after being moved to a new role earlier this fall.
Ideas
From flashlight fixes to future-ready innovation: Why we must stop patching and start building anew
Real innovation isn’t about fixing old switches. It’s about recognizing when it’s time to stop patching and start fresh.
Digital Government
Class action lawsuit alleges data consolidation within USCIS is illegal
Plaintiffs represented by a coalition of advocacy groups have argued that drawing searchable data from other government agencies into a system maintained by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services “far exceed” that system’s scope.
Artificial Intelligence
Nonprofit sues 4 agencies for details on AI use in enacting Trump policy
Democracy Forward is suing four federal agencies in a bid to access official documentation regarding if and how AI has been used in the Trump administration’s policy execution.
Digital Government
Democratic report: DOGE is risking Americans’ data by operating outside federal law
A report released by Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., said a lack of restrictions on DOGE employees’ collection of sensitive data can result “in serious cybersecurity vulnerabilities, privacy violations, and risk of corruption.”
Artificial Intelligence
Pentagon research official wants to have AI on every desktop in 6 to 9 months
DOD's under secretary of defense for research and engineering said he's “excited” for the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office’s new role driving research across the department.
Modernization
DOGE caucus co-chair says the cost-cutting unit’s work will continue
Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, said he is focused on using data to weed out fraud across the government.
People
Agriculture taps DOGE associate as its tech lead, reassigning previous CIO
Sam Berry, who’s been at USDA for months as part of the Department of Government Efficiency, is the agency's new chief information officer.
Digital Government
Senate Finance Chair wants details from SSA following whistleblower allegations of data endangerment
Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, says he has reviewed information from SSA’s former chief data officer alleging that DOGE put sensitive agency information at risk. Now he wants information from the agency itself.
Exclusive
Modernization
Stephen Ehikian says GSA is primed for a ‘build back’ phase after his departure
The former acting head of GSA is now working at enterprise AI company C3 AI, which sees growing opportunity for federal, state and local business.
People
SSA announces leadership team light on government experience
The agency’s new leadership roster — announced alongside a reorganization plan sources say is short on details — is intended to bring a fresh perspective into SSA, its commissioner said. Critics argue they lack the expertise usually required of most agency leaders.
Exclusive
Artificial Intelligence
Pentagon reductions set back critical AI-data platform
After users flocked to Advana, DOD’s AI office laid out a plan to keep it growing. Then came DOGE.
Ideas