SSA phone wait times longer than publicly reported metrics, per OIG report
SSA phone wait times longer than publicly reported metrics, per OIG report
People
Ed Forst sworn in as GSA administrator
Forst was sworn in on Christmas Eve in Florida while on jury duty.
Modernization
VA readies to restart EHR deployments in 2026, despite lingering lawmaker unease
VA and Oracle Health say the modernization project’s operational pause has allowed them to enhance the new software’s usability and effectiveness.
Ideas
When data defense becomes national defense
COMMENTARY | The next frontier of defense is not in the skies or at sea; it is in the cloud, in our data centers and in the invisible flows of information that keep our societies running.
Sponsor Content
New Booz Allen Tech Cripples Cybercriminals’ Arsenal
How Booz Allen is using agentic AI to reverse engineer malware in minutes—helping government and industry fight faster, more sophisticated AI-powered cyber threats.
Defense
Now you can train for the next drone war on simulated Ukrainian front lines
A newly-released, public version of the drone simulator used to train thousands of Ukrainian military pilots offers a terrifyingly accurate glimpse into modern warfare.
Cybersecurity
Senate adjourns without confirming CISA director
Sean Plankey’s nomination faltered as lawmakers ran out the clock after a tumultuous year of workforce reductions. The cyberdefense agency enters the new year without a permanent leader as the White House finalizes a sweeping national cyber strategy.
Ideas
Three moves that can jumpstart cyber modernization — even wthout a full budget
COMMENTARY | You don’t need a billion-dollar overhaul to modernize cybersecurity. Lou Eichenbaum shares three quick wins and three long-term priorities that agencies can act on, even with limited budgets.
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.
Ideas
The cyberwarfare landscape is changing — here’s how to prepare
COMMENTARY | Entering 2026, cyberattack targets and tactics are poised to shift from perpetuating fraud and theft to societal disruption.
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.
Sponsor Content
From Ambition to Action: Modernizing Federal Healthcare IT
Why federal healthcare agencies must modernize now—using interoperability and AI to secure data, improve care coordination, and build a resilient, mission-ready health system.
People
Senate confirms Ethan Klein to be fifth US CTO
In a sweeping nominee package, Klein was confirmed alongside Kirsten Davies to be DOD CIO and Pedro Allende to be DHS Undersecretary for Science and Technology.
Artificial Intelligence
Inside the White House meeting on its AI Genesis Mission
Radical AI’s CEO, who participated in the meeting, said there was a goal-oriented, partnership-driven focus for Genesis Mission and the ways it can change how AI and science work together.
People
Feds will have Dec. 24 and Dec. 26 off
Federal employees will now have a five-day weekend, beginning on Christmas Eve.
People
Trump formally taps Joshua Rudd to lead NSA, Cyber Command
The nomination marks a turning point for the electronic surveillance and hacking teams that have been without a permanent leader for eight months.
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Cybersecurity
Sen. Cotton urges top White House cyber official to protect open-source software
A letter from the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee cites previous Nextgov/FCW reporting about a potential Russian backdoor into a Defense Department software suite.
Digital Government
NASA and Microsoft finalize tool to track Earth’s water changes
The space agency will host the Microsoft and OpenAI-powered Earth Copilot to make analyzing hydraulic data easier.
Ideas
Making agentic government work: 7 principles for safer, smarter AI adoption
COMMENTARY | Agentic government is not a future concept. It is a practical operational model agencies can adopt today.
People
CISA opens 100 applications for CyberCorps students
Earlier hiring snags had forced the scholarship program to pause recruitment of top student talent for cyber jobs.
People
Air traffic controllers calling out sick during shutdown may have acted illegally, FAA chief says
Agency will “ask tough questions” of those workers even as administrator concedes agency has “a retention issue” among controllers.
Acquisition
Bid protests hit decade-low and undermine calls for ‘loser pays’ reforms
New data from the Government Accountability Office shows protests have declined 40% since 2016, while half of all cases result in relief for contractors or corrective actions by agencies.
