People

Transparency advances slowed by data problems, groups say

White House and federal agency efforts to improve transparency are being hampered by data and reporting problems, according to testimony at a House hearing today.

Modernization

SSA applicants like new online claim form, IG says

Half of the applicants who used the Social Security Administration's online iClaim scored it as "excellent," according to a new report from SSA's inspector general.

Digital Government

Census director kick-starts efficiency blog

Census Bureau Director Robert Groves is putting a personal touch on the agency's second round of collecting ideas from employees for improving efficiency.

Modernization

GPO transitioning all new docs to new system

The Government Printing Office will start publishing all new official electronic government documents online in its new FDsys system.

Modernization

White House wants agency for education IT

President Barack Obama is calling for creating a research agency to advance digital tutoring, educational games and other learning and teaching IT.

Cybersecurity

Real ID deadline pushed back to January 2013

The deadline for states to comply with the controversial Real ID Act of 2005 has been pushed back to early 2013.

Modernization

Consumer database goes live March 11 despite House action

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is set to debut its new database online despite the House's passage of a bill with a provision to block funding for it.

People

NARA's spending plan for electronic archive isn't reliable, GAO says

The National Archives and Records Administration had unreliable cost estimates and other weaknesses in its spending plan for the final year of developing its digital archive, a new report says.

Cybersecurity

Federal CIO Council to get new vice chairman

Richard Spires, CIO of the Homeland Security Department, recently was elected vice chairman of the Federal CIO Council.

People

Groups ready for disaster drill to use social media

San Diego State University's Immersive Visualization Center is sponsoring a major online disaster drill that will use Twitter, Facebook and geotagging tools.

Modernization

State Department's mobile and Web apps go global

The State Department begins publicity on its new Apps@State program to develop mobile and Web applications around the world.

People

Agencies admit to bad records management

The National Archives and Records Administration released its second annual survey of 270 agencies' records management abilities.

Cybersecurity

USCIS proposes new electronic registration for H1B visa applications

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services agency is planning a new electronic system to register in advance employers petitioning for H-1B visas on behalf of workers from other countries.

Digital Government

NARA names 3 to new leadership positions

David Ferriero, archivist of the United States, named three top deputies to a new leadership team.

People

GAO identifies billions in potential savings from duplicative federal programs

There are dozens of duplicative, overlapping and fragmented federal programs that could be cut for savings, GAO says.

Modernization

Kundra suggests feds get $2,000 subsidy for mobile devices

Federal employees typically carry both agency-issued and personal smart phones and it might make sense to leverage their personal devices, Federal CIO Vivek Kundra says.

People

VA CIO says department has $700M carryover money for IT

The Veterans Affairs Department's IT budget is facing cuts in fiscal 2012, but there is $700 million in leftover funds from previous years, says CIO Roger Baker.

Digital Government

White House wants 'disruptive' shift in IT strategy, Kundra says

Federal CIO Vivek Kundra pushes for a major change in federal IT strategy away from asset ownership and toward buying IT services.

Digital Government

Kundra describes vision of three huge federal data centers

In the future, federal data center consolidation could go much further and create three huge "digital Fort Knox" centers, Kundra said.

Digital Government

DOD, VA prepare recommendation on joint EHR for late March, official says

The Defense and Veterans Affairs departments have been working on a joint strategy for using electronic health records.