Oversight
Watchdog calls out EPA for continued cybersecurity concerns
The EPA has still not implemented GAO’s 2019 recommendation to develop a process for conducting an organization-wide cybersecurity risk assessment.
Tech
DOD, VA need more data on how their toxic exposure tracking app is used, watchdog says
A report from the Government Accountability Office found that oversight of the joint system for centralizing toxic exposure records has fallen off, despite a growing influx of PACT Act-related claims.
Workforce
VA’s AI model to prevent suicides is a 'game changer,' official says
The REACH-VET program identifies roughly 6,700 retired servicemembers per month, according to a top lawmaker.
Tech
Senators call for VA to tighten performance standards in new health records contract
Three lawmakers on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee are calling for the department to “add accountability and oversight provisions” in a renegotiated one-year contract with Oracle Cerner.
Management
NASA’s long-term missions could be hurt by budget caps, lawmakers warn
House Science Chairman Frank Lucas R-Okla., said Congress needs to provide NASA with “sufficient support” to carry out its work.
Tech
VA is warning veterans about Change Healthcare cyberattack, secretary says
“There’s no confirmation yet” that veterans’ data was leaked by the ransomware attack, according to the VA secretary, but the department is proactively alerting millions of veterans and beneficiaries to be safe.
Tech
Bipartisan bill seeks to grow NASA program using drones to fight wildfires
New legislation attempts to improve NASA’s Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response to Operations program so firefighters can more effectively use drones.
Tech
TSA looks to AI to enhance x-ray screenings of travelers’ luggage
The Transportation Security Administration is already using facial recognition to verify the identity of travelers but wants to improve its scanners to detect more prohibited items.
Tech
How TSA’s opt-outs for biometric screenings informed White House AI policy
The Office of Management and Budget’s recent guidance on the government’s responsible use of AI elevates TSA's practice of allowing travelers to decline biometric scans at airport security to national policy.
Tech
AI is creating ‘more sophisticated’ but not unprecedented election threats, DHS official says
AI is likely to create more convincing phishing campaigns but is “not necessarily introducing a new threat or risk in and of itself,” the official said.
Tech
Lawmakers eye 2025 defense bill for AI proposals
A leader of the Senate’s bipartisan AI working group said that next year's must-pass defense policy bill could include some substantive AI proposals, but the Senate is “not ready” for a comprehensive AI bill at this time.
Tech
Lawmakers propose a new federal office to regulate workplace surveillance tech
The new bill from Reps. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., and Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., would also establish new employee rights and employer transparency rules around surveillance.
Management
Pentagon names new top official for digital and AI
Radha Plumb, currently deputy undersecretary of Defense for acquisition and sustainment, will replace Craig Martell as Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer on April 8.
Tech
Biden's $1.67 trillion budget boosts tech, AI
The Biden administration’s FY2025 budget request provides agencies with $3 billion “to responsibly develop, test, procure and integrate transformative AI applications across the federal government.”
Oversight
Bill enhancing contractor whistleblower protections advances to the Senate
The bipartisan proposal would close loopholes that have left federal contractors vulnerable to retaliation.
Management
VA budget bill maintains EHR funding but imposes additional ‘reset’ oversight
The bipartisan FY24 budget package allocates over $1.3 billion for the agency’s new electronic health record system but makes 25% of that funding contingent on enhanced transparency around VA’s ongoing EHR “program reset.”
Tech
Lawmakers urge VA to tread carefully with AI
The Department of Veteran Affairs’ 2023 inventory of AI use cases listed 100 instances where VA is working to use emerging technologies, with at least 40 of those examples in an operational phase.
Tech
Commerce advisory committee urges government to boost startup access to talent and funding
Congress should fully fund the Economic Development Administration’s regional technology and innovation hubs program to help the U.S. tech sector maintain its global leadership, according to the committee.
Tech
How DHS is providing security tech and cyber support for Super Bowl LVIII
The Homeland Security Department said it is “leveraging its significant technology assets and dedicated personnel” to protect the Feb. 11 matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Tech
Contracts featuring automation and built-in security can boost agencies’ cyber defenses, VA officials say
As the federal government looks to harden its cyber resilience, officials from the Veterans Affairs Department said agencies should work to modernize outdated technologies and ensure that vendor contracts include more rigorous security standards.
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