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.

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.

Exclusive Cybersecurity

House lawmaker demands answers from AT&T on recent data breach

Rep. Abigail Spanberger wants AT&T’s CEO to open up about the company’s incident response plans and a reported payment to hackers in exchange for deleting the stolen data.

Policy

Senate DOOBIE Act would overlook past marijuana use in feds’ hiring, security clearances

Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., argued “it's crucial that the federal government modernizes its hiring practices to reflect evolving laws and societal norms.”

Artificial Intelligence

Senators seek to advance AI capabilities at national labs

Proposed legislation looks to give the U.S. national laboratories a strong artificial intelligence infrastructure while acknowledging associated risks.

Artificial Intelligence

AI can enhance border security but won’t close workforce gap, lawmakers say

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is facing a “major shortfall” of about 5,000 personnel, according to Rep. Lou Correa, D-Calif.

Digital Government

Jobless aid programs get a facelift under a bipartisan Senate proposal

The bill responds to asks from the oversight community, in addition to instituting requirements for states administering the funds.

Artificial Intelligence

Lawmaker looks to update standards for AI-generated robocalls

A new proposal from Rep. Rick Allen, R-Ga., would make calls created by artificial intelligence tools “subject to the same regulations and standards as traditional telephone-based systems.”

Emerging Tech

Diverting TSA funds harms deployment of new tech, lawmakers warn

A bill to keep all 9/11 security fee collections at TSA would help the agency more quickly deploy facial recognition capabilities, but its supporters say privacy still needs to be prioritized.

Artificial Intelligence

Lawmaker set to introduce bill to standardize AI system testing

The proposed legislation would focus on standardizing how AI systems are tested for fairness and safety, with the National Institute of Standards and Technology at the forefront.