Author Archive
Digital Government
Agriculture’s failure to force SNAP card upgrades is causing $555M in lost benefits, watchdog says
The Trump administration’s imperative to combat fraud has largely focused on recipients scamming the system, rather than becoming victims of fraudsters themselves.
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.
Modernization
Funding bill extends TMF and cyber measures through September
The authorization for the Technology Modernization Fund had lapsed in December, leaving its leadership unable to make new investments.
People
Trump’s Tech Force hiring effort extends application deadline
Ethical questions remain about how managers from the approximately 30 industry partners involved in the program will work for the government without triggering conflicts of interest.
Digital Government
Bill to improve government’s anti-fraud checks heads to Trump’s desk
House lawmakers passed a bipartisan proposal on Monday to give the Treasury Department’s Do Not Pay system permanent access to death records at the Social Security Administration.
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
GSA’s procurement chief is attending negotiations for Ukraine and Gaza
Federal Acquisition Service Commissioner Josh Gruenbaum most recently attended a “coalition of the willing” in Paris to discuss Ukrainian security.
People
White House creates new assistant attorney general focused on fraud
The vice president told reporters the new position will also be involved in addressing “the people who are defrauding the United States by inciting violence against our law enforcement officers” after an ICE agent shot and killed a woman in Minneapolis on Wednesday.
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
Report: Federal statistical system needs help to meet its ‘basic mission’ in the face of upheaval
Statistical agencies have lost scores of staff under the Trump administration, threatening their ability to meet their mission, according to a new report from the American Statistical Association.
Digital Government
SSA phone wait times longer than publicly reported metrics, per OIG report
The agency’s “average speed of answer” metric masks longer call wait times, according to data in a recent OIG report.
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Digital Government
Agriculture focuses on SNAP fraud, while experts worry EBT theft will go unabated
“The most damaging form of fraud in SNAP is fraud where the low-income recipients are the victims, not the perpetrators,” a senior analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities argues.
People
GSA backs off planned layoffs within its technology team after court order
The Technology Transformation Services has lost 67% of its staff since Jan. 25.
Digital Government
Warren, Sanders push Labor on plans to create a centralized unemployment ‘starting point’
The senators worry that the planned intake of applicant data at the Labor Department will create "grievous economic and privacy risks for millions of Americans.”
People
Trump admin launches US Tech Force to recruit temporary workers after shedding thousands this year
Some of the recruits to government service will be on leaves of absence from private sector companies while working for government — a setup that raises ethical questions about conflicts of interest.
Artificial Intelligence
Bipartisan, bicameral bill looks to help the government hire more AI talent
The proposal follows the exodus of hundreds of thousands government employees — including AI and tech talent — under the Trump administration’s push to shrink the government workforce.
Modernization
Transportation planning to expand its use of agentic AI capabilities
A growing number of federal agencies are moving to adopt agentic AI capabilities across their operations.
Policy
Lawmakers seek details behind SSA plan to slash office visits
Nextgov/FCW first reported the agency’s intention to reduce field office visits last week.
Policy
Push to 'reform the government root and branch' detailed in Trump’s new management agenda
The President's Management Agenda for Trump's second term offers fewer specific policy plans than other recent agendas.
Modernization
Technology Modernization Fund reauthorization not included in NDAA
The revolving fund — set up in 2017 to back government modernization projects — will expire at the end of this week without congressional action.
