Workforce

Republicans block expanded in vitro fertilization coverage for feds in House and Senate

Senate Democrats failed to secure the 60 votes needed to bypass a GOP filibuster, while House Democrats saw a similar provision defanged in appropriations talks.

Nextgov

Lawmakers question Microsoft president over security culture that enabled recent hacking incidents

Brad Smith took responsibility for the hacks as lawmakers said the tech giant will have to work to earn back the trust of its customers.

Route Fifty

After Amtrak’s ‘best revenue month ever,’ House GOP focuses on railroad’s bonuses

Congressional Republicans called for more information about executive compensation and more board transparency for the passenger rail company, citing ridership drops after the pandemic.

Route Fifty

What makes a city ideal for office-to-housing conversions?

It’s the state and local leaders who can work creatively with restrictive building codes and tax incentives, one expert says.

Oversight

DHS needs to improve how it collects employee hiring and vetting data, GAO reports

The watchdog’s analysis found that the department did not meet its average hiring time targets in fiscal 2022 for nine out of 13 priority positions.

Defense One

US Army, Navy reduce dependence on China for ‘critical technology’

But the Air Force and other Pentagon agencies are using even more Chinese suppliers, a report finds.

Nextgov

Identity theft victims are waiting almost 2 years for help from the IRS

The tax agency needs to do more to bring down that wait time, the National Taxpayer Advocate says.

Route Fifty

Bills restricting social media advance amid continued legal battles

New York lawmakers just passed legislation to ban the use of algorithm-driven feeds for minors without their parents’ permission, while Utah’s law is facing more legal action over its age verification requirements.

Politics

Latimer criticizes Bowman for missing procedural House vote

Bowman was one of six Democrats who were not present for a rules vote related to the National Defense Authorization Act.

Route Fifty

Big districts like Philadelphia ‘gamble’ on higher spending as enrollment falls, study finds

End of federal relief funds means 'all of the big districts at once' face decisions about layoffs and school closures, says Manhattan Institute.

Opinion

8 ways to improve your media coverage

Boscobel's Joyce Bosc shares the findings of her latest survey of GovCon reporters and offers tips to help build those relationships.

Workforce

Republicans look to 'dismantle' DEI efforts at federal agencies

New bill would strike down President Biden's diversity efforts and create strict rules preventing such initiatives.

Defense One

Defense One Radio, Ep. 156: The future of Taiwan’s security with Dmitri Alperovitch

What might an invasion of Taiwan look like, and how can allies help the island nation better defend itself?

Nextgov

Decade-old cyber advice from GAO remains unimplemented, watchdog says

Reliance on legacy IT systems creates challenges for agencies looking to make use of the suggestions.

Politics

In debate, Latimer charges Bowman favors only Black and brown constituents

The representative fired back that the Westchester County executive having a “few Black friends” doesn’t make him “anti-racist.”

Contracts

Veterans Health Administration creates new office to streamline tech initiatives

The Veterans Health Administration has combined a number of its existing programs into one office to serve as the agency’s “central coordinator of digital health strategy and execution.”