Modernization
TMF reboot looks to stabilize funding, increase transparency
The reauthorization of the Modernizing Government Technology Act is due for a committee markup on Wednesday.
Digital Government
Shutdowns and the ‘avalanche of work’ for government tech shops
Even if a shutdown doesn’t happen, planning for one has a real cost, former government CIOs say.
Artificial Intelligence
Congress’s week of AI
Tech titans, developers and executives descended on Capitol Hill this week for a series of meetings exploring crucial safeguards for AI research and development.
Artificial Intelligence
Agency leaders see data analytics and customer service uses for AI
Tech officials told lawmakers they are focused on a socio-technical approach to AI use cases in the government, saying it is not “one size fits all.”
Digital Government
Civic hackers explore ways to streamline government operations
Lawmakers and technologists united for a day of civic hacking on Capitol Hill as part of an effort to modernize government services and make government operations more efficient.
Artificial Intelligence
Guardrails in government AI purchasing are ‘more important than ever,’ senator says
“Right now, [contracting officers] are set up for failure,” when it comes to buying AI applications, one witness told lawmakers at a Senate hearing.
Artificial Intelligence
Industry leaders urge Congress to enact responsible AI regulations
Some tech observers have suggested hitting pause on generative artificial intelligence development, but industry leaders told lawmakers that the tech could benefit from legislation that builds trust in AI.
Artificial Intelligence
Lawmakers grapple with AI’s potential as they consider future regulations
In a week packed with artificial intelligence hearings and events, lawmakers are focused on bipartisan unity and threading the needle between further advancement and regulation.
Artificial Intelligence
Energy officials say their agency can lead the federal approach to national AI R&D efforts
Agency witnesses testifying at a Senate hearing spoke to Energy’s posture in addressing the “grand challenge” in safely developing and deploying artificial intelligence.
Emerging Tech
AUKUS partnership success hinges on export controls for sensitive tech, officials say
The trilateral Australia-U.K.-U.S. partnership is intended to share more emerging technologies, which officials say demands synchronicity in export control standards.
People
GOP lawmakers tap Holman Rule to slash salaries of agency heads
If House conservatives get their way, multiple federal officials will open fiscal 2024 with $1 annual salaries.
Artificial Intelligence
Schumer summons tech titans for AI meetups
Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk are among the CEOs slated to take questions from lawmakers in a closed-door forum.
Ideas
Time for Congress to rationalize the c-suite
COMMENTARY | A proliferation of IT and management reforms going back more than 40 years have complicated the path to modernizing legacy technology systems.
Cybersecurity
New bill would require all federal contractors to develop vulnerability disclosure policies
The Federal Cybersecurity Vulnerability Reduction Act aims to establish standardized vulnerability disclosure policies across all federal contractors.
Ideas
4 ways the defense spending bill could have addressed AI, other issues to boost cybersecurity
COMMENTARY | The Senate's version of the fiscal 2024 National Defense Authorization Act does address some important cybersecurity issues, but it may have missed opportunities to expand collaboration and tackle emerging technology challenges.
Artificial Intelligence
Lawmaker pushes AI companies for more safety and security commitments
Companies need to take on practices that prevent things like social-scoring, real-time facial recognition and more, according to Sen. Mark Warner.
Cybersecurity
House committee asks FCC for more action on IoT device security
A letter from the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party asks the FCC for investigations into Chinese-linked connectivity modules as the agency launches its IoT cyber labeling program.
Policy
Bill to alleviate federal pay compression introduced by House Dems
The Pay Compression Relief Act would effectively allow General Schedule employees to receive annual increases to both basic and locality pay, even if they have already hit the federal pay cap.
Cybersecurity
House panel probes China-linked email hacks
The House Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating how the State and Commerce departments responded to a cyberattack that successfully gained access to unclassified government email accounts of top-level officials.
Cybersecurity