Congress

DOD ordered to evaluate mobile device cybersecurity in 2025 defense bill

The evaluations would include basic tools like virtual private networks that encrypt connections when browsing the web.

Senators call for VA to tighten performance standards in new health records contract

Three lawmakers on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee are calling for the department to “add accountability and oversight provisions” in a renegotiated one-year contract with Oracle Cerner.

Senate passes FAA reauthorization without TSA biometrics amendment

A group of bipartisan senators hoped to use the must-pass measure to pause rollouts of the Transportation Security Administration’s facial recognition technology at new airports.

Connolly presses EPA on air quality IT with new bill

Legislation the Virginia Democrat introduced Tuesday would codify watchdog recommendations to assess decades-old systems at the EPA.

Large-language models demand huge amounts of data. Lawmakers want to know what that means for user privacy

A bipartisan effort is underway in the House and Senate to pass national data privacy standards, but Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., and others are concerned that companies are pushing back on data minimization in the race to field AI applications.

House bill targets AI-generated comments in rulemaking

The legislation looks to provide assurance that public comments on pending regulations come from real people.

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Mace sponsors bill to push CBP to use blockchain at the border

Customs and Border Protection has already been doing research into how the tech could be used for its mission.

House passes GSA transparency bill to track tech projects

Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, said he introduced the bill to respond to the agency's misrepresentations about the capabilities of the government-run digital identity service Login.gov.

Lawmakers seek pause on TSA’s use of facial biometrics in FAA bill

A Senate amendment to the FAA reauthorization bill would pause additional rollout of the TSA’s facial recognition technology until Congress has reviewed the agency’s program.

Change Healthcare hasn't given VA details on hack-impacted veterans, top lawmaker says

Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., said the company has “impact attestations” on those affected but won’t provide them to VA.

House cyber chairman tries again to undo SEC cyber disclosure rules

Rep. Andrew Garbarino, a New York Republican, said he plans to get the measure into a House Financial Services markup.

UnitedHealth CEO grilled over ‘clear national security threat’ from Change Healthcare hack

CEO Andrew Witty told members of Congress that UnitedHealth believes some members of the armed forces were exposed in the attack.

NSF pitches Congress on the potential of quantum technology

The National Science Foundation made a case for robust congressional funding in emerging tech research following budget cuts to the agency this year.

Bipartisan bill seeks to grow NASA program using drones to fight wildfires

New legislation attempts to improve NASA’s Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response to Operations program so firefighters can more effectively use drones.

House panel advances bill to make federal contracting easier to understand

The Plain Language in Contracting Act would require agencies to use easy-to-understand language for certain procurement notices pertaining to small businesses.

Bipartisan group looks to push IRS towards simpler math error notices

The IRS MATH Act would require the tax agency to send more specific, straightforward notices when it corrects simple math errors on tax returns.

Biden signs extension of controversial spying program into 2026

The Section 702 authorities were reauthorized without the addition of a warrant requirement to review the communications of Americans caught up in foreign surveillance.