FCW Insider: Dec. 14
The latest news and analysis from FCW's reporters and editors.
Senate passes NDAA but veto threat looms
Lawmakers in the House and Senate passed the annual defense bill by margins sufficient to override a presidential veto but some Republican may decide to switch their votes if President Trump decides to reject the bill for reasons unrelated to national security.
New rule lets contractors seek religious exemptions to anti-discrimination policies
The move will make it easier for companies that are organized around faith-based activities to evade certain civil rights laws and policies when making hiring decisions.
GSA sketches next steps for CEOS, Polaris and EIS
Small business, telecommunications and cloud productivity tool contracts are top of mind for GSA’s acquisition service in coming year.
Pandemic pivots at State, FCC
The necessary wave of IT adaptation to the pandemic showed federal CIOs and agencies they could move quickly and efficiently to modernize.
Quick Hits
*** Systems at the U.S. Treasury and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration at the Department of Commerce have been breached by hackers, according to a report in Reuters that was confirmed by government officials. A Washington Post report linked the breaches to Russia's foreign intelligence service SVR, which was fingered in reports of the breach of the cybersecurity firm FireEye last week.
"As news breaks about what looks to be a pretty large-scale hack, I have the utmost confidence in the [Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency] team and other Federal partners," former CISA Director Chris Krebs said Sunday on Twitter. "I'm sorry I'm not there with them, but they know how to do this. This thing is still early, I suspect. Let's let the pros work it."
*** Federal employees will get a full day off from work for Christmas Eve instead of the usual early dismissal. In a Dec. 11 executive order, President Donald Trump ordered executive departments and agencies to be closed and for employees to be excused from duty on Christmas Eve, which isn't a federal holiday.
*** Nominations for the 2021 Fed 100 are now being accepted. The deadline for submissions is Dec. 31.