Cybersecurity
House lawmakers join effort to remove flagged Chinese tech from telecom networks
The companion proposal to a Senate bill would allocate an additional $3 billion to the Federal Communications Commission to help fund its ‘rip and replace’ reimbursement program.
Digital Government
United Nations approves controversial cybercrime treaty
Last week, the United Nations voted to adopt a new cybercrime convention applying to all member states, drawing ire from civil society groups over data privacy risks.
Digital Government
Lawmakers look to extend COVID-19 telehealth med exemption for veterans
A bipartisan House bill would allow VA clinicians to prescribe veterans with controlled medications through the targeted extension of a pandemic-era waiver.
Cybersecurity
Proposal for a federal cyber training institute study passes key Senate committee
It’s one among several cybersecurity workforce-focused bills on the Hill this Congress.
Artificial Intelligence
Major tech companies pledge efforts to monitor AI-based content ahead of 2024 election
Senate Intel Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., received responses from 19 tech companies pledging actions like content moderation, airtight watermarking and strict licensing practices.
Policy
Bipartisan bill pushes DHS to review terrorist risks from foreign-based mobile apps
The legislative proposal calls out several China- and Russia-tied apps for particular attention.
People
Lawmakers look to clarify electronic medical device use in secure facilities
A Senate bill would charge an “Electronic Medical Device Governance Board” with reviewing agencies’ policies regarding the use of digital healthcare instruments in highly-classified facilities.
Modernization
Senate panel outpaces House in tech spending plans, including TMF
The Senate's General Government and Financial Services appropriation includes a $25 million plus-up for the nearly depleted Technology Modernization Fund.
Artificial Intelligence
Congressional agencies report progress on AI adoption
The House Administration Committee said in the new report that it is also focused “on applying the House’s AI guardrails to the acquisitions process.”
Modernization
Senate panel advances House-led TMF update
Congress is looking to enshrine repayment requirements in the legislation that supports the Technology Modernization Fund.
Artificial Intelligence
Party line differences emerge over AI oversight, international partnerships
At a Senate Commerce Committee markup hearing, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, offered multiple amendments designed to reel in federal oversight in AI software development that he says could impair innovation.
Cybersecurity
Senate panel advances cyber regulatory harmonization bill
The bill aims to address overlapping cyber laws that CISOs say have caused compliance headaches.
Digital Government
Education says a new system will help borrowers — lawmakers aren’t so sure
“This new system lacks transparency,” four senators told the Department of Education.
Modernization
Senators take another crack at solving over-classification
The bipartisan Classification Reform for Transparency Act would establish a new task force to narrow the criteria for classifying documents and make it harder for agencies to exempt records from automatic declassification.
Digital Government
Senate Democrats push an accessibility refresh
A new bill would revamp the decades old law requiring the government be accessible online, where many agencies are still falling short
Digital Government
The White House thinks better tech could speed up permitting
The White House’s Council on Environmental Quality says in a new, congressionally mandated report that better tech could help the permitting process, but it's unclear whether new efforts are in the offing.
Exclusive
Cybersecurity
House lawmaker demands answers from AT&T on recent data breach
Rep. Abigail Spanberger wants AT&T’s CEO to open up about the company’s incident response plans and a reported payment to hackers in exchange for deleting the stolen data.
Policy
Senate DOOBIE Act would overlook past marijuana use in feds’ hiring, security clearances
Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., argued “it's crucial that the federal government modernizes its hiring practices to reflect evolving laws and societal norms.”
Artificial Intelligence
Senators seek to advance AI capabilities at national labs
Proposed legislation looks to give the U.S. national laboratories a strong artificial intelligence infrastructure while acknowledging associated risks.
Artificial Intelligence