*** The Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council passed an interim rule Dec. 13 that allows vendors who bid on federal contracts to certify they aren't using specific China-made telecommunications equipment and services in the System for Award Management database. The certification can be made annually instead of per offer made. The rule, which implements a provision in the 2019 defense policy bill banning China-produced telecom products, applies to all acquisitions, including those involving commercial off-the-shelf technology.
*** The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency will be funded at $2 billion in 2020 under a funding bill released Dec. 16 and expected to be voted on this week. That funding includes $947 million to protect civilian federal networks and $136 million to "modernize and better defend the federal enterprise."
*** In the legislative branch appropriation, $34.7 million was added to the U.S. Senate's FY2019 appropriation of $935 million to invest in Senate cybersecurity and to provide training to members and staff.