Cybersecurity

New cyber bill calls for shadow IT assessment at VA

The bill tasks VA with obtaining an independent cybersecurity review of the agency's most critical systems.

Cybersecurity

FBI confirms increase in Russian cyber scanning of U.S. companies

A senior FBI official suggested potential cyber attacks were coming amid increased Russian-linked cyber scanning activities targeting major U.S. businesses and tensions with the Kremlin over its invasion of Ukraine.

Acquisition

Senators look to root out contractor conflicts of interest

A bipartisan group of senators have introduced legislation they say will help prevent potential conflicts within businesses that work with the federal government after concerns were raised over McKinsey's work with the Food and Drug Administration while it was consulting with pharmaceutical firms.

Defense

Lawmakers worry about cyber risks in space

Senators questioned the commanders of Space Command and Strategic Command on their plans to handle an increase in space-based threats.

Defense

Russia’s invasion will boost 2023 defense budget, top Democrat Says

Rep. Adam Smith: Putin’s war “fundamentally altered what our national security posture” needs to be.

Digital Government

GSA’s Trump Hotel lease is under scrutiny again

Lawmakers are calling for the agency to consider terminating the lease after the Trump Organization’s accounting firm said it could no longer vouch for the company’s financial statements.

Modernization

Connolly, Issa launch IT modernization caucus

The lawmakers behind the FITARA legislation are establishing a new caucus centered around IT modernization issues.

Cybersecurity

Is there a path forward in Congress for mandatory cyber incident reporting?

A group of lawmakers is seeking legislation that would require private companies to report cyber incidents and ransomware attacks to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, despite their efforts being derailed late last year.

People

Hill proposal would give feds a 5.1% average pay raise in 2023

A bill from Democratic lawmakers would provide federal workers with a 4.1% across-the-board boost, along with an average 1% increase in locality pay.

Cybersecurity

Defense officials press lawmakers for a 2022 appropriation

Defense officials warned lawmakers that some programs and tech efforts could be delayed or eliminated if Congress fails to pass a 2022 defense spending bill soon.

Cybersecurity

House FISMA draft codifies federal CISO role, looks to shared services

The House Oversight Committee is considering the first updates to the Federal Information Security Modernization Act in seven years, amid increasingly sophisticated cyber risks and threats.

Modernization

OPM faces uncertain funding prospects

The federal government’s human resources agency is still dealing with budget shortfalls arising from moving background checks to the Department of Defense, and the prospect of a full-year continuing resolution could exacerbate existing pressures.

Modernization

Senators want FCC inquiry into Stingray use

Several Democratic senators sent a letter asking the FCC to determine whether law enforcement agencies' use of cell-site simulators is disrupting regular phone service.

Digital Government

Blockchain gains congressional support

Blockchain now has its own congressional caucus to raise awareness among lawmakers and advance policy discussions around the technology for tracking bitcoin transactions.

Digital Government

VA ordering system looks like when we 'first started using computers'

Lawmakers are eager to see update to the Department of Veterans Affair's procurement processes, which GAO describes as "outdated and fragmented."

Cybersecurity

Missed deportee fingerprints spark legislation

A new bill would force DHS to digitize all fingerprint records in the wake of an embarrassing oversight report.

Cybersecurity

Lawmakers want cyber on the agenda at the G20 summit in China

Six U.S. lawmakers sent a letter to the president asking him to prioritize a discussion of cyberattacks on financial institutions during his upcoming trip to China.

Digital Government

Will the MEGABYTE Act save money?

The MEGABYTE Act enshrines key Obama administration IT initiatives into law and promises to save at least $2 billion a year on software spending -- assuming implementation goes according to plan.

People

Lawmakers want automated tax-compliance check

Top-ranking members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee are asking about the status of an automated system to check on the tax debt of security clearance applicants.

Modernization

House panel wants update on Census IT risks

As the 2020 enumeration draws ever closer, key lawmakers want assurances that the Census Bureau is managing risks in IT acquisition.