Modernization

Biden Administration Releases New IT Modernization Plan

The White House Office of Management and Budget plans to prioritize cybersecurity and data decision-making via federal funding.

Emerging Tech

Latest Crypto Regulation Bill Defines Stablecoins and Pushes For Interagency Cooperation

More bipartisan legislation seeks to regulate digital assets in the U.S. and offers a widely-encompassing framework for buying and selling cryptocurrency.

Policy

Bipartisan bill proposes new federal data privacy standards

The American Data Privacy and Protection Act stands to improve American users’ data privacy and offers federal regulatory power.

Emerging Tech

HHS Establishes Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health

The Health and Human Services secretary also appointed an acting deputy director to manage the office.

Cybersecurity

Senate Homeland Clears Bill to Avoid Conflicts of Interest in Federal Contracting

A hearing the committee held leading up to the bill’s markup focused on a shortage of procurement officials in the federal workforce, which an industry witness said could be addressed if it weren’t for inflexible ethics rules.

Policy

Labor Department wants to staff up worker protection agencies

Some of the department's worker protection agencies, like the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, also have a role to play in rolling out the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Labor Secretary Marty Walsh told lawmakers.

Cybersecurity

National Cyber Director's Vision for the Future Flags Overdue National Plan

The office of the national cyber director is tasked by Congress to weigh in on agencies’ cybersecurity budgets.

Emerging Tech

ACLU Spearheads Letter to Fed Imploring Anonymity in Cryptocurrencies

A dozen civil rights groups penned a letter to the Federal Reserve underscoring the need to preserve human rights—like privacy—in researching a U.S. digital currency.

Policy

FCC Implements New Rules To Battle Influx Of Robocalls

Gateway carriers are now more responsible for screening calls that may be spam.

Policy

Senators push for $300M boost to TMF

Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are urging appropriators to back a Biden administration request to add $300 million to the Technology Modernization Fund.

Digital Government

Equitable Tax Policy Demands Household Data on Race, Gender

A GAO report outlines the biases potentially lurking in the current tax code, and calls for better interagency data sharing laws.

Modernization

Biden Administration Launches New Component To Internet Expansion

The Internet for All program utilizes funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill to deploy internet connectivity nationwide.

Policy

US-EU Trade Meeting Highlights Semiconductor Independence, Emerging Tech Protocol

The Trade and Technology Council’s second meeting, held in Paris, will further the transatlantic dialogue surrounding tech trade and usage policy.

Policy

Online Data Could be Used Against People Seeking Abortions if Roe v. Wade Falls

Women in states where abortion becomes illegal who rely on the internet for information, products and services related to reproductive health would be subject to online policing.

Policy

House Dems urge social media networks not to delete evidence of possible Russian war crimes in Ukraine

Automated and artificial intelligence-enabled systems may be removing and permanently erasing evidence of potential Russian war crimes in Ukraine, lawmakers said this week.

Modernization

Energy Seeks Input on Power Grid Modernization, Expansion

The Energy Department continues taking action on investments through President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Cybersecurity

US Signs on to New Electronic Evidence Protocol in International Cybercrime Agreement 

The new protocol is officially being added to the Budapest Convention—an arrangement between 66 member-states—after four years of negotiations.

Modernization

Technology-Focused Bills Advance Through Senate, House Committees

A bevy of pending legislation aimed at technological modernization moved through Congressional chambers on Wednesday with broad bipartisan backing.

Cybersecurity

US, Allied Cybersecurity Agencies, Advise Reviewing Contracts with Tech Vendors

A joint advisory from CISA, domestic partners and counterpart agencies in the Five Eyes intelligence alliance warns of a heightened threat to managed service providers and their customers.