Modernization
VA needs stricter oversight for EHR deployment, top Republican says
Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., who chairs the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Technology Modernization, said he appreciated VA’s engagement with Congress “about establishing some metrics that Oracle has to abide by in order to keep this moving forward.”
Cybersecurity
CrowdStrike exec to testify in September on last month’s global IT outage
Adversaries closely watched the incident unravel, a House lawmaker said.
Policy
House lawmakers press Meta over illicit drug ads
In a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, lawmakers said they were “continuously concerned that Meta is not up to the task” of keeping ads for illegal drugs off of its sites.
Cybersecurity
House lawmakers join effort to remove flagged Chinese tech from telecom networks
The companion proposal to a Senate bill would allocate an additional $3 billion to the Federal Communications Commission to help fund its ‘rip and replace’ reimbursement program.
Digital Government
United Nations approves controversial cybercrime treaty
Last week, the United Nations voted to adopt a new cybercrime convention applying to all member states, drawing ire from civil society groups over data privacy risks.
Digital Government
Lawmakers look to extend COVID-19 telehealth med exemption for veterans
A bipartisan House bill would allow VA clinicians to prescribe veterans with controlled medications through the targeted extension of a pandemic-era waiver.
Cybersecurity
Proposal for a federal cyber training institute study passes key Senate committee
It’s one among several cybersecurity workforce-focused bills on the Hill this Congress.
Artificial Intelligence
Major tech companies pledge efforts to monitor AI-based content ahead of 2024 election
Senate Intel Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., received responses from 19 tech companies pledging actions like content moderation, airtight watermarking and strict licensing practices.
Policy
Bipartisan bill pushes DHS to review terrorist risks from foreign-based mobile apps
The legislative proposal calls out several China- and Russia-tied apps for particular attention.
People
Lawmakers look to clarify electronic medical device use in secure facilities
A Senate bill would charge an “Electronic Medical Device Governance Board” with reviewing agencies’ policies regarding the use of digital healthcare instruments in highly-classified facilities.
Modernization
Senate panel outpaces House in tech spending plans, including TMF
The Senate's General Government and Financial Services appropriation includes a $25 million plus-up for the nearly depleted Technology Modernization Fund.
Artificial Intelligence
Congressional agencies report progress on AI adoption
The House Administration Committee said in the new report that it is also focused “on applying the House’s AI guardrails to the acquisitions process.”
Modernization
Senate panel advances House-led TMF update
Congress is looking to enshrine repayment requirements in the legislation that supports the Technology Modernization Fund.
Artificial Intelligence
Party line differences emerge over AI oversight, international partnerships
At a Senate Commerce Committee markup hearing, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, offered multiple amendments designed to reel in federal oversight in AI software development that he says could impair innovation.
Cybersecurity
Senate panel advances cyber regulatory harmonization bill
The bill aims to address overlapping cyber laws that CISOs say have caused compliance headaches.
Digital Government
Education says a new system will help borrowers — lawmakers aren’t so sure
“This new system lacks transparency,” four senators told the Department of Education.
Modernization
Senators take another crack at solving over-classification
The bipartisan Classification Reform for Transparency Act would establish a new task force to narrow the criteria for classifying documents and make it harder for agencies to exempt records from automatic declassification.
Digital Government
Senate Democrats push an accessibility refresh
A new bill would revamp the decades old law requiring the government be accessible online, where many agencies are still falling short
Digital Government
The White House thinks better tech could speed up permitting
The White House’s Council on Environmental Quality says in a new, congressionally mandated report that better tech could help the permitting process, but it's unclear whether new efforts are in the offing.
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Cybersecurity