Emerging Tech
Lawmakers Question Defense's Cloud, the President's Phone and BTW, TL;DR
Those unresolved Government Accountability Office recommendations could haunt agencies during budget time.
Digital Government
OPM Wants to Make it Easier to Hire for Tech Jobs
Officials will solicit info from agencies on a potential governmentwide direct hire authority for STEM and cybersecurity posts.
Policy
Senate Defense Bill Aims to Scrub Cyber Adversaries from U.S. Military Tech
The bill would require companies to disclose if they’d shared source code with foreign governments.
Policy
Huawei, ZTE Get the Boot in House-Passed Defense Bill
The bill gives federal agencies until 2021 to scrub the Chinese telecoms from their networks.
Policy
Lawmaker Threatens USDA Officials with 'Legislative Metrics' to Preserve Telework
Rep. Gerry Connolly calls Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue’s recent rollback of telework at the agency “retrograde.”
Policy
Pentagon Bans Personal Devices from Classified Areas
That includes phones, smartwatches and other devices that can transmit, store and receive data.
Emerging Tech
We Need a DARPA-Like Program for Veterans’ Problems, Experts Say
Dedicating funds to veterans’ health care needs could bring more products to market faster, experts told Congress.
Policy
House Passes Bill to Keep Tabs on VA’s Health Records Modernization
Lawmakers plan to keep a close eye on the implementation of the $10 billion project.
Policy
Cyber Amendments to Watch in the House’s Defense Authorization Bill
The House Rules Committee is considering more than a dozen cyber-focused amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act, a must-pass policy bill.
Digital Government
Lawmakers to NIH: Is Tech Stressing Out Our Kids?
Legislators also push back on the White House eliminating its cyber adviser and reverse bans on Chinese phone maker ZTE.
Cybersecurity
ZTE Kerfuffle Shows Cybersecurity Doesn’t Operate in a Vacuum
Lawmakers have decried the president’s efforts to reverse a ban on a Chinese telecom, citing security fears, but there’s a lot more at stake.
Policy
Trump Reportedly Asked the U.S. Postal Service to Charge Amazon Double
Following through on the demands could ultimately prove disastrous for USPS.
Policy
Government Should ‘Stop Pretending’ Your Social Security Number is Secret
Cyber experts want Congress to explore different ways to prove people’s identities.
Policy
GSA to Host Another E-Commerce Portal Industry Day
The agency will solicit information from vendors interested in hosting the platform and another for selling on it.
Modernization
Trump Strengthens Agency CIO Authority with Executive Order
The order puts presidential weight behind past legislation giving government CIOs more authority over hiring and budget.
Cybersecurity
Homeland Security Flexes Muscles with New Cybersecurity Strategy
The strategy envisions clearer consequences for agencies that don’t meet their cyber responsibilities.
Podcasts
Critical Update: Federal CIO Suzette Kent on Leading Governmentwide Transformation
She joins the podcast to talk about the whole-of-government IT modernization effort and what success will look like.
Cybersecurity
Georgia’s National Guard Unit Wants Some Help Prepping for a Big Cyber Test
The Georgia Army National Guard has a cyber readiness inspection coming up and wants a contractor to spend the summer helping it get ready.
Digital Government
Stringrays, Blocked Nominations and a Ton of Tech Bills
Congress is on a roll of tech-focused bills, including one that adds cyber positions to an agency.
Modernization