Exclusive Acquisition

Mace sponsors bill to ban educational requirements for government contractors

The bill tracks with ongoing bipartisan efforts to push the government towards skills-based hiring.

Acquisition

Wyden bill requires new cyber standards in federal tech procurement

The legislation comes in the wake of several cyber incidents targeting the federal government.

Policy

Section 702 renewal has support in Congress, but intelligence officials are leery of warrant measure

The disputed surveillance authority expires April 19, and the intelligence community is sending a full-court press to keep it from garnering significant privacy reforms.

Cybersecurity

Congress tries again for comprehensive data privacy bill

The bill would establish national data privacy standards, with the Federal Trade Commission crafting rules for enforcement.

Exclusive Acquisition

Senate bill looks to chop through red tape in procurement

The bipartisan legislation aims to both expand access to special acquisition authorities and give new, innovative contractors more opportunities to work with the government.

Digital Government

Lawmakers propose extending pandemic analytics center beyond 2025 sunset

Oversight officials say that the Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence needs to survive past the looming sunset date, unlike a similar analytics center used to oversee stimulus spending that shuttered in 2015.

Artificial Intelligence

Lawmakers seek details on Biden administration’s AI workforce efforts

The New Democrat Coalition urged OSTP’s Arati Prabhakar to prioritize the development of a “robust federal workforce.”

Artificial Intelligence

Pentagon’s outgoing AI chief warns Congress on safety, accuracy risks of the emerging tech

Craig Martell, the DOD’s chief digital and artificial intelligence officer, warned that ensuring the accuracy and value of large language models will be the “biggest charge” for his successor.

Cybersecurity

New bill would create payment incentives for the health sector to meet cyber standards

The measure led by Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va. comes in the wake of a ransomware attack on UnitedHealth subsidiary Change Healthcare.

Cybersecurity

Congress expected to approve government spending bill that cuts CISA funding

The agency has previously stressed that funding will be needed to combat cyber threats and coordinate with partners as the November presidential election approaches.

Digital Government

TMF, USDS hit with cuts in 2024 funding bill

The Technology Modernization Fund alone is slated for a $100 million clawback of American Rescue Plan Act funding under the appropriations package released Thursday.

Digital Government

House Democrats say they’re still concerned with CBP One

The app is part of the administration’s push to encourage migrants to use legal pathways to enter the U.S.

Cybersecurity

House advances bill empowering FTC to punish data transfers to foreign rivals

The unanimously approved legislation would give the FTC more enforcement power over data transfers to nations like China and Russia.

Artificial Intelligence

Lawmakers eye 2025 defense bill for AI proposals

A leader of the Senate’s bipartisan AI working group said that next year's must-pass defense policy bill could include some substantive AI proposals, but the Senate is “not ready” for a comprehensive AI bill at this time.

Policy

Lawmakers propose a new federal office to regulate workplace surveillance tech

The new bill from Reps. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., and Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., would also establish new employee rights and employer transparency rules around surveillance.

Emerging Tech

Lawmaker seeks to give NASA funding flexibility on interagency research efforts

Legislation from Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-Ill., would allow agencies to transfer funding to NASA to jointly partner on scientific or engineering projects.

Digital Government

Tech questions at the border

Critics say the Customs and Border Protection app CBP One is glitchy and unfair to migrants.

Defense

Legacy ATO process is slowing software upgrades at DOD, experts say

The Pentagon’s current approach to managing and minimizing risk when acquiring commercial software products presents a barrier to the speedy adoption of new capabilities, experts warned during a congressional hearing.

Artificial Intelligence

Hickenlooper engages experts to develop AI safety legislation

Industry experts and other stakeholders are among entities who received a questionnaire from the Colorado Democrat that aims to inform the development of AI safety auditing policy.