Modernization

IGs Announce Plan to Probe Joint DOD, VA Electronic Health Records Programs

The two inspector general offices are teaming up to determine whether the commercial EHR programs are meeting the main goal of interoperability.

Artificial Intelligence

White House Touts a Year of AI Initiatives in Roundup Report

The Office of Science and Technology Policy released a list of accomplishments in promoting artificial intelligence, including efforts to adopt cutting-edge technologies within the federal government.

Cybersecurity

Government-Run Energy Company Keeps Reeling in the Same Employees in Phishing Training

The Tennessee Valley Authority has a good initial phishing training program in place but lacks real consequences for those that fail.

Digital Government

Industry Offers Quick Fixes For Major Pain Points In Security Clearance Process

The background investigations backlog and wait times are down, but contractors still see hurdles in getting people cleared for sensitive work.

Artificial Intelligence

White House Tech Chief Calls Europe’s AI Principles Clumsy Compared to U.S. Approach

Analysts disagreed with the assessment, calling the EU white paper a good start for developing a risk-based approach to regulating artificial intelligence.

Emerging Tech

Border Patrol Needs Automated Sensors to Cover Watery Blindspots

Homeland Security is looking for a technical solution to give border agents situational awareness about illegal watercraft and the potential risks of interdiction.

Modernization

TIC 3 Commenters Put Faith in Zero Trust over CISA’s Trust Zones

The draft policy creates a new framework for secure network boundaries at a time when the tech sector is moving away from boundaries altogether. 

Emerging Tech

CBP Expands Facial Recognition Program to Another Southern Border Crossing

Travelers passing through the Progreso port of entry on foot will see a new crossing protocol.

Modernization

New Bipartisan Bill Would Codify GSA’s Centers of Excellence Program

The “light touch” legislation was introduced by Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Mark Meadows, R-N.C.

Digital Government

Trump’s Budget Pushes Bonuses and Reskilling to Build Up IT Workforce

The budget calls for reskilling 400,000 federal employees using OMB’s Reskilling Academy as a model.

Modernization

VA’s Electronic Health Records System Won’t Make Its First Go-Live Deadline

Training was supposed to start this week ahead of deployment in March, but Veterans Affairs officials said that timeline has been pushed out.

Digital Government

Federal Tech Guide to Trump's 2021 Budget

The Trump administration puts a priority on working capital funds, while proposed tech spending inches upward.

Modernization

House Passes Bill to Codify—and Improve—GSA's Cloud Security Program

The FedRAMP Authorization Act includes $100 million in additional funding and a requirement to automate the process and force agencies to reuse ATOs.

Artificial Intelligence

CBP Is Upgrading to a New Facial Recognition Algorithm in March

The agency also signed an agreement with NIST to test the algorithm and its operational environment for accuracy and potential biases.

Modernization

Procurement Reporting Tool Is Moving to SAM But FPDS.gov Isn’t Going Anywhere

GSA is moving the central reporting function of the Federal Procurement Data System to beta.SAM while Treasury works to improve the quality of data reported through the site.

Cybersecurity

GSA Is Hiring a Contractor Team to Work on Login.gov

The single sign-on platform needs improved security, scalability and availability as the program pushes for broader use across government.

Artificial Intelligence

Presidential Advisers Push for National Network to Support Quantum and AI Advancement

As with the High Performance Computing initiative in the past, industry and academic advisers told the administration they need facilities and a network to get from bits to neurons and qubits.