Cybersecurity
Bills would kill DHS satellite surveillance office
A senior House Democrat has introduced legislation to eliminate a DHS-run program to make intelligence and military satellite imagery more available to civilian agencies for domestic purposes.
People
Serrao: Web 2.0 works better for connecting people than assessing threats
Are new social-networking tools suitable for law enforcement?
Cybersecurity
$300M in transit grants to aid in homeland security projects
DHS announced $300 million in economic stimulus law funding is available for eligible port security and mass transit projects.
Cybersecurity
Standard updated for reporting suspicious activity
The government has updated its standard for reporting suspicious activity that could be linked to terrorism to deal with issues raised by civil liberties groups and police.
People
Feds to give states $250M for education data
States will get the $250 million for student data systems under the economic stimulus law.
Cybersecurity
Information-sharing platform hacked
A DHS official confirmed that the department's platform for sharing sensitive but unclassified information with partner organizations was recently hacked.
Cybersecurity
Hacker demands $10M ransom for data
The FBI and state authorities are investigating a case in which a hacker wants $10 million for the return of sensitive information, according to media reports.
People
Flu funding could go to states
Some of the $1.5 billion that the Obama administration has requested to fight the H1N1 virus – the cause of the swine flu outbreak — could go to state public health disease tracking and monitoring programs.
People
GSA schedules might get state, local business
Two new House bills would open the General Services Administration's Multiple Award Schedules contracts to state and local governments.
Modernization
Firm provides swine flu updates to agencies
A private firm is providing updates on the swine flu outbreak in Mexico to U.S. health agencies and the public.
Cybersecurity
Survey: IT high on wish list for new money
State and local public safety agencies want to use new federal money to help fund technology projects, according to a new survey.
Modernization
City Web sites track new federal money
Several cities have established Web sites to track the $50 billion in economic stimulus spending cities will get.
Modernization
States launch stimulus-tracking sites
All 50 states are now online with stimulus act Web sites, but they vary in quality and usefulness.
Digital Government
Knowledge retention helps agencies retain employees' expertise
Organizations use knowledge-retention programs to capture workplace wisdom and provide mechanisms for sharing expertise learned from retiring workers.
People
Megacommunities: The next big idea
Cybersecurity, climate change and other complex challenges require a new kind of thinking, two consultants say
Modernization
Cloud computing moves into public safety
Companies introduce software as a service for communications between fire, police and emergency agencies.
Digital Government
Klossner: On your mark, get set, stimulate!
FCW cartoonist John Klossner tries to imagine how agencies might coach employees on how to spend boatload of stimulus bucks on tight deadlines.
Modernization
41 states and DC now publishing tax-expenditure reports
Many states are now releasing tax-break tallies, according to a new report.
Modernization
OMB: Agencies must pay to upgrade Grants.gov
Grant-making agencies must cover the costs to strengthen the governmentwide grants portal to accommodate the crush of stimulus funds applications.
Cybersecurity