Cybersecurity

Senator calls for federal probes of UnitedHealth for negligent cyber practices

Hackers broke into Change Healthcare systems due to a lack of multifactor authentication.

Acquisition

VA extends Oracle's EHR contract for 1 month

Lawmakers are pressing for more accountability in the multibillion dollar contract amid delays, system downtime and patient safety concerns.

Modernization

House passes TMF reauthorization bill

The Modernizing Government Technology Reform Act includes changes around repayment to the TMF.

Cybersecurity

Cyber Force study gets added to House panel’s 2025 defense policy bill

The study on whether to create a Cyber Force branch in the Pentagon now goes to the House floor as part of the 2025 NDAA.

Ideas

How government outreach can combat election disinformation

COMMENTARY | We need a solution in which messages are non-partisan, easily accessible and easy to understand.

Emerging Tech

NIST’s emerging tech work will be ‘very difficult’ without sustained funding, director says

Testifying before a House committee, NIST Director Laurie Locascio highlighted her agency’s ongoing work while making clear the need for more funding.

Exclusive Cybersecurity

CISA would get millions for cyber workforce outreach to underserved communities under new bill

The measure comes amid concerns from cybersecurity officials and professionals over how workforce diversity gaps may threaten U.S. cyber defenses.

Policy

Lawmakers update proposal to cut down on billions in improper payments

Agencies would be required to include details on their anti-fraud controls and fraud risk management work in annual financial reports.

Cybersecurity

House panel advances measure to dissolve SEC cyber disclosure rule

The White House has said the president would veto any legislative effort to revoke the rule.

Emerging Tech

NSF to issue framework addressing national security implications of sensitive research

The agency’s director noted that the TRUST framework — based on recommendations made in a recent advisory group report — will be unveiled “in the coming months.”

Emerging Tech

TSA’s biometrics deployment will take 25 years, unless lawmakers end fee diversion, agency head tells Congress

The Transportation Security Administration chief told lawmakers that it will take until 2049 to deploy facial recognition technology at U.S. airports if significant revenue from the 9/11 security fee continues to be diverted away from the agency.

Artificial Intelligence

Senate AI roadmap calls for $32 billion for AI programs

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer unveiled the Senate AI Working Group’s policy recommendations, which include plans for emergency appropriations to be passed this year. Senate committees will start developing bills and Working Group leaders will kick of "serious discussions" about working with House leaders on a path to pass AI legislation.

Modernization

Lawmakers propose more scrutiny of VA's new EHR, reauthorize VET-TEC program

The bipartisan legislative package includes new oversight metrics for VA’s Oracle Cerner electronic health record system but would end the modernization effort if facilities using the software don’t show improvement.

Defense

DOD ordered to evaluate mobile device cybersecurity in 2025 defense bill

The evaluations would include basic tools like virtual private networks that encrypt connections when browsing the web.

Modernization

Senators call for VA to tighten performance standards in new health records contract

Three lawmakers on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee are calling for the department to “add accountability and oversight provisions” in a renegotiated one-year contract with Oracle Cerner.

Emerging Tech

Senate passes FAA reauthorization without TSA biometrics amendment

A group of bipartisan senators hoped to use the must-pass measure to pause rollouts of the Transportation Security Administration’s facial recognition technology at new airports.

Acquisition

Connolly presses EPA on air quality IT with new bill

Legislation the Virginia Democrat introduced Tuesday would codify watchdog recommendations to assess decades-old systems at the EPA.

Policy

Large-language models demand huge amounts of data. Lawmakers want to know what that means for user privacy

A bipartisan effort is underway in the House and Senate to pass national data privacy standards, but Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., and others are concerned that companies are pushing back on data minimization in the race to field AI applications.

Artificial Intelligence

House bill targets AI-generated comments in rulemaking

The legislation looks to provide assurance that public comments on pending regulations come from real people.