Exclusive Emerging Tech

Mace sponsors bill to push CBP to use blockchain at the border

Customs and Border Protection has already been doing research into how the tech could be used for its mission.

Digital Government

House passes GSA transparency bill to track tech projects

Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, said he introduced the bill to respond to the agency's misrepresentations about the capabilities of the government-run digital identity service Login.gov.

Emerging Tech

Lawmakers seek pause on TSA’s use of facial biometrics in FAA bill

A Senate amendment to the FAA reauthorization bill would pause additional rollout of the TSA’s facial recognition technology until Congress has reviewed the agency’s program.

Cybersecurity

Change Healthcare hasn't given VA details on hack-impacted veterans, top lawmaker says

Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., said the company has “impact attestations” on those affected but won’t provide them to VA.

Cybersecurity

House cyber chairman tries again to undo SEC cyber disclosure rules

Rep. Andrew Garbarino, a New York Republican, said he plans to get the measure into a House Financial Services markup.

Cybersecurity

UnitedHealth CEO grilled over ‘clear national security threat’ from Change Healthcare hack

CEO Andrew Witty told members of Congress that UnitedHealth believes some members of the armed forces were exposed in the attack.

Emerging Tech

NSF pitches Congress on the potential of quantum technology

The National Science Foundation made a case for robust congressional funding in emerging tech research following budget cuts to the agency this year.

Emerging Tech

Bipartisan bill seeks to grow NASA program using drones to fight wildfires

New legislation attempts to improve NASA’s Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response to Operations program so firefighters can more effectively use drones.

Acquisition

House panel advances bill to make federal contracting easier to understand

The Plain Language in Contracting Act would require agencies to use easy-to-understand language for certain procurement notices pertaining to small businesses.

Policy

Bipartisan group looks to push IRS towards simpler math error notices

The IRS MATH Act would require the tax agency to send more specific, straightforward notices when it corrects simple math errors on tax returns.

Policy

Biden signs extension of controversial spying program into 2026

The Section 702 authorities were reauthorized without the addition of a warrant requirement to review the communications of Americans caught up in foreign surveillance.

Artificial Intelligence

Senate bill aims to bring more private sector participation to federal AI innovation

The latest piece of AI-focused legislation seeks to make private sector collaboration a top priority for several agencies.

People

Bipartisan bill seeks to expand workers’ access to digital skills training programs

House and Senate lawmakers are seeking to modify current law to create a “digital skills at work grant program” for those accessing government-funded career services.

Cybersecurity

House passes bill barring spy agencies, law enforcement from buying Americans’ personal data

The measure doesn’t have support from the Biden administration, which argues it threatens national security and worsens Americans’ privacy protections.

Artificial Intelligence

House committee introduces 5 guardrails for internal AI use

The Committee on House Administration released its April AI Flash Report reviewing past and present agenda items to implement AI systems in legislative operations.

Digital Government

Lawmakers to include VET-TEC renewal under broader veteran bill, per committee spokesperson

VA’s five-year tech training pilot expired April 1 after Congress failed to pass legislation to renew the program.

Cybersecurity

New bill would create a governing body for water system cyber standards

The legislation comes after the Biden administration rescinded a memorandum that would have tied water sector cyber reviews to existing sanitation surveys.

Policy

House advances spy power reauthorization bill without warrant measure

The bill — which represents a win for Biden administration policy objectives — will now be taken up in the Senate, with a week to go before the authority sunsets.

Modernization

VA not sharing details on supply chain upgrade, Republican lawmaker says

Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., who heads a House subcommittee focused on tech at Veterans Affairs, said “there does not seem to be any approved budget” for the new supply chain system, which the department estimates to cost between $9 billion and $15 billion.

Digital Government

White House, Senate Democrats tout new $1.4B anti-fraud proposal

Among the efforts that would see funding under the sweeping proposal are a new “early warning system” for fraud in government benefits.