People

CIOs push back on FITARA scores

Officials at two agencies with low Federal IT Acquisition Reform Act grades pushed back on their scores and outlined their future modernization plans before a House panel.

Cybersecurity

What has DHS learned from phases 1 and 2 of CDM?

Halfway through a four-phase implementation, feds running the Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation program want to retool the process to ensure the back half runs smoother than the front half did.

Modernization

Questions remain on Energy's cyber shop

There is bipartisan support to fund the Energy Department's new cybersecurity office, some on Capitol Hill want more tangibles.

Policy

House Passes Bill to Keep Tabs on VA’s Health Records Modernization

Lawmakers plan to keep a close eye on the implementation of the $10 billion project.

Acquisition

FITARA grades continue their slide

More agencies' grades dropped on the sixth Federal IT Acquisition Reform Act scorecard.

Digital Government

Agency Grades Get Worse in Latest FITARA Scorecard

Eleven agencies dropped and five agencies improved in Congress’ latest FITARA scorecard.

Cybersecurity

The IRS Doesn’t Know Who’s Accessing Its Most Sensitive Data

The tax agency also isn’t patching vulnerabilities on those systems in a timely manner, an audit found.

Digital Government

Senate Dems push administration on Census director

The Census Bureau has been without a confirmed director for almost a year, and 21 Senate Democrats are urging Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to put forward a qualified candidate.

Digital Government

Bill to preserve ZTE sanctions clears committee

An amendment designed to block Trump's proposed rollback of sanctions against Chinese telecom firm ZTE passed its first legislative hurdle.

Cybersecurity

House panel looks at ditching the SSN

In light of multiple large-scale data breaches in recent years, some on Capitol Hill are looking at accelerating the move away from widespread reliance on social security numbers in government systems.

People

Administration officials defend planned cuts to workforce benefits

A House panel wanted details on how Trump administration plans to attract a high quality workforce while pushing legislative proposals aimed at cutting benefits.

People

Hill Dems want VA's acting CIO out

A group of lawmakers, led by the senior members of the House and Senate committees that oversee the Department of Veterans Affairs, are worried about the agency's new acting CIO and the slow pace of senior tech hires.

Digital Government

Report: DOD's new health record system isn't suitable for use

MHS Genesis, the $3.4 billion commercial health record system being installed across the Department of Defense, was found to be operationally ineffective and unsuitable in a scathing internal oversight report.

Cybersecurity

Senator freezes DHS cyber nominee over Stingray info

Sen. Ron Wyden wants info on use of rogue cell-tracking Stingray devices in the nation's capital before he'll confirm a new cybersecurity leader at the Department of Homeland Security.

Digital Government

Oversight chairman agrees to subpoena DOJ after census hearing no-show

House Oversight and Government Reform Committee chair Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) is moving to subpoena the Department of Justice after the head of its Civil Rights Division skipped a hearing on the 2020 census.

People

EPA's Pruitt grilled over management, ethics concerns

Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt faced tough questions from lawmakers about questionable expenditures and management style.

Cybersecurity

Senate turf wars are stalling DHS cyber re-org, lawmaker says

Legislation to rename and reorganize the National Protection and Programs Directorate is meeting resistance from other lawmakers and committees concerned about their oversight purviews.

Cybersecurity

How tech supports CBP priorities

Customs and Border Protection is working on many fronts to field new technology, the agency head tells Congress.

Cybersecurity

Senator pushes for answers on scope of 2016 Russia voting probes

A DHS official acknowledged that more than 21 states could have been targeted by Russian hackers in the lead-up to the 2016 election.