Cybersecurity
House Panel Passes Bill to Explore Bringing State and Local Cybersecurity Workers into CISA
The Homeland Security Committee cleared several bills to address cybersecurity following the attack on Colonial Pipeline.
Digital Government
Democratic Lawmakers Urge Biden to Act on Gender-Neutral Federal IDs
The administration promised to allow nonbinary and intersex people to get passports that reflect their gender identities. Rep. Ro Khanna told The 19th an executive order is a “good first step.”
Digital Government
Vaccinated Individuals No Longer Need Masks in Federal Buildings
The Office of Management and Budget informed agencies following a change in public health guidance.
Artificial Intelligence
Senate Bills Aim to Grow Federal Tech-Ready Workforce—and the Government’s Transparency About its AI Use
Lawmakers moved to operationalize suggestions made by a Congressionally-mandated AI commission.
Digital Government
DOD Lifts Mask Mandate for Fully Vaccinated Personnel
Fully vaccinated DOD personnel are no longer required to wear a mask at Defense Department facilities.
Digital Government
FAA Knows It Needs More Tech Experts, Just Not How Many
The Federal Aviation Administration needs IT experts, as well as specialists in emerging technologies like drones and 3-D printing, but doesn’t have hard, quantitative data on those workforce gaps.
Digital Government
Will COVID Vaccines Be Required for Federal Contractors, and How Would a Mandate Be Enforced?
Increased vaccination rates and more people returning to the workplace raise these questions.
Cybersecurity
Army’s Cybersecurity ‘Greatly Concerns’ Wormuth After Pipeline Attack
Biden’s Army Secretary nominee told the Senate she’d fight deep troop cuts and support long-range fires and new measures against sexual crimes and extremism, if confirmed.
Digital Government
Senate Panel Advances Measures to Reskill Feds, Ban Their TikTok Use
OPM would oversee an agency-led effort to get federal workers into new jobs.
Digital Government
If There Ever Was a Time We Needed a Government Hall of Fame …
It’s now. Luckily, we have one. And nominations are open for this year’s class of inductees, along with the annual Teddy Awards for leadership achievement.
Digital Government
A Year from the Start of the Women’s Recession, 2 Million Women Are Still Out of the Workforce
About 165,000 women left the workforce in April as the economic recovery sputters. Unemployment rates continue to be higher for women of color.
Modernization
How the Army Software Factory Preps Soldiers for Future Battlefields
Program lead Maj. Vito Errico said the project is focused on helping the Army figure out how to organize product teams for the future force.
Ideas
Busting the Bureaucratic Myth, One Amazing Achievement at a Time
Federal employees accomplished a lot last year—it’s time to give them the respect they deserve.
Digital Government
US Air Force, Navy Extend 50% Work-From-Home Indefinitely
New memos suggest office space occupancy may never return to 100 percent.
Digital Government
Finalists for Government ‘Oscars’ Highlight Outstanding Federal Employees
The Partnership for Public Service’s annual awards program kicks off National Public Service Week.
Digital Government
Administration Formally Launches Program Giving Feds Up to 15 Weeks Off for COVID-19 Related Illness, Child Care
Congress created a $570 million fund for the initiative, and once that runs out, workers will have to take personal leave or leave without pay.
Digital Government
Federal Employees Sing Telework’s Praises, Want to Continue After the Pandemic
Survey results show those who have been doing their jobs remotely are happier and feel they are just as productive.
Ideas
To Future-Proof the American Economy, We Need 5 Million Digital Jobs in 5 Years
The challenge isn’t having enough workers to fill these roles: It’s that available workers aren’t trained in these high-demand areas.
Digital Government
Biden Signs Executive Order Requiring Federal Contractors to Pay a $15 Minimum Wage
White House says these employees are “critical” to the federal government’s operations.
Digital Government