Author Archive
Digital Government
Trump’s 'big, beautiful bill' directs Treasury to find a replacement for Direct File
The IRS debuted Direct File — which enabled taxpayers to file online with the agency for free — as a pilot in 2024 and it received largely positive reviews from those that used it.
Digital Government
Portal of federal employment metrics to get a facelift, OPM announces
The announcement comes months after the removal of race and ethnicity data from the statistics about federal employees.
Exclusive
Artificial Intelligence
Senate Democrats want more information on SSA’s use of AI on its phone lines
A new letter sent to the SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano follows Nextgov/FCW reporting that an anti-fraud check installed on the agency’s phone lines found very little likely fraud.
Digital Government
SSA head wants to beef up agency tech as it sheds thousands of staff
Some experts are skeptical that technology can make up for staffing losses in critical parts of the agency.
Digital Government
Lawmakers spar over DOGE as Republicans look to lock in cuts
Republicans again blocked an attempt to subpoena billionaire and former DOGE leader Elon Musk.
Digital Government
IRS isn’t sufficiently checking the performance of its identity proofing vendor
The identity validation service, ID.me, is the only option for taxpayers looking to access the more sensitive online services offered by the IRS.
Modernization
Workforce cuts could complicate IRS goal to modernize in the next two years
Agency leaders say they want to complete the “vast majority” of its modernization efforts within the next couple of years.
Digital Government
Civic tech leaders worry DOGE is ‘tarnishing’ its tools to improve government
USDS, the White House team DOGE took over in January, was a flagship civic tech organization. Six months later, civic tech is figuring out what’s next.
Cybersecurity
CISA’s executive director is leaving the agency
Bridget Bean had been with CISA for over three years, during which time she also briefly served as the acting director of the cyber agency.
Digital Government
Trump guts Biden-era digital identity policies, citing false claims about immigrants
The rollback of policies that were intended to help counter fraud comes even as the Trump administration says that fighting fraud is a top priority.
Exclusive
Digital Government
Direct File is 'beloved by its users,' internal IRS report says
The IRS is reportedly ending the Direct File, but a report obtained via the Freedom of Information Act says that 94% of users rated their experience as “excellent” or “above average.”
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Modernization
Trump administration debuts permitting modernization plan, even as staff cuts could jeopardize it
The new plan builds on Biden-era work, but how implementation goes during Trump-era workforce reductions remains to be seen.
Modernization
Trump budget wants agencies to contribute unobligated funds to TMF
Here is what the budget request includes for the Technology Modernization Fund, Federal Citizen Services Fund and more.
Policy
White House budget request includes $45 million in additional DOGE funding
The request would support an estimated 150 full time employees, 80% of whom would be paid out of agency reimbursements, rather than DOGE-specific funds.
People
Fired GSA 18F employees appeal to have jobs reinstated
The Trump administration has endeavored to streamline the agency’s contracting and procurement processes while putting in mechanisms to shed its workforce.
People
VA-based DOGE associate gets ‘the boot’ after publicly discussing his work
Sahil Lavingia detailed in a personal blog how the reality of hunting inefficiencies at the Department of Veterans Affairs was not what he had expected.
Modernization
Labor cancels unemployment modernization grants for states
The grant dollars — which the agency has been doling out since Congress allocated funding for fraud and access work in 2021 — don’t align with department priorities anymore, Labor says.
People
New SSA chief praises DOGE for ‘making things better’
Frank Bisignano said he has no current plans to institute further reductions in force and hopes to use AI to make the historically sluggish Social Security disability determination processes move faster.
People
More than 2,100 GSA employees have accepted deferred resignations
Combined with those employees that have been impacted by reductions in force, the losses amount to nearly a quarter of what the agency’s workforce totals were last fall.
Digital Government
USDA wants to modernize farmer services, even as staffing cuts could hurt the effort
The department plans to digitize farmer-facing applications that are still on paper.
