Defense

TSA proposes allowing federal acceptance of digital IDs while future requirements are crafted

The coming rulemaking would waive REAL ID Act requirements so that federal agencies can still accept mobile driver's licenses when the law’s implementation starts in 2025.

Management

Taxpayer advocate highlights challenges for legit taxpayers tagged as fraudsters by the IRS

The only online remediation option for people whose tax returns have been flagged as potential identity theft is through vendor ID.me.

Tech

NBIS says it will deliver continuous monitoring for all customers by December

The National Background Investigation Services system was initially scheduled to be up and running in 2019.

Tech

The Agriculture Department is taking a ‘cautious’ approach to generative AI

The agency’s data “also needs to be in a condition… to support those kinds of tools,” according to USDA chief data officer and responsible AI officer, Chris Alvares.

Management

CISA director touts hiring progress

The agency’s culture has been key to its hiring successes, Jen Easterly says.

Tech

GSA is looking for participants for its facial recognition study

Federal Acquisition Service Commissioner Sonny Hashmi said the study will help determine how to move forward with Login.gov.

Tech

Senators seek details on SSA’s plan to modernize and simplify disability benefits applications

Three Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee asked the Social Security Administration for details on improvements to the Supplemental Security Income application.

Tech

White House cyber office has its eye on workforce data

Data on the cybersecurity workforce is fragmented and inconsistent. A top White House official is looking to change that.

Oversight

How the IRS accidentally tagged thousands of taxpayers as dead

The IRS confirmed that 6,821 tax accounts were marked as deceased and locked — meaning that the agency wouldn’t process the tax returns associated with it — when the person was, in fact, alive.

Tech

White House cyber office makes new workforce-focused hire

Daniel “Rags” Ragsdale is joining the White House Office of the National Cyber Director, following work in the private sector, Defense Department and cyber research space.

Pay & Benefits

The ‘future is at risk’ for government’s biggest civilian payroll provider, study finds

The National Finance Center — a part of the Agriculture Department — provides payroll services for over 170 agencies, but a lot of them aren’t happy with the services they’re getting.

Tech

IRS seeks states’ input on its direct file pilot

States have until Sept. 4 to tell the IRS if they’re interested in participating.

Tech

What will the federal government do with generative AI?

Federal employees are going to see AI tools show up in cloud-based productivity suites sooner rather than later, but it's not clear yet how the trending tech will impact public-facing digital services.

Oversight

Senate Appropriations Committee looks to claw back TMF funding

Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan. — an original backer of the law that created the Technology Modernization Fund — called the move a “mistake.”

Tech

CDC rolls out new COVID-19 website

The reworked COVID-19 website is part of a larger push to make the public health agency’s web presence easier to navigate, with plans to relaunch CDC.gov early next year.

Oversight

Want to track pandemic relief spending? Data problems make that difficult, committee says

“These challenges limit the degree of transparency into the use of pandemic relief funds,” a new report from the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee says.

Management

The White House promotes success stories in the government’s customer experience push

Filling out forms to recertify for disability insurance is “more frightening than cancer,” one beneficiary said. The Social Security Administration is trying to make it easier.

Tech

How some agencies used tech to decrease improper payments

Governmentwide, improper payments are up relative to fiscal year 2020. But digital tools — alongside other management tactics — enabled some agencies to find reductions.

Management

Is government culture stifling customer experience innovation?

Risk aversion among government managers is blocking needed improvements to key programs, according to a recent white paper.

Management

Government has a policy over people problem, civic tech leader argues

In a new book, Code for America founder Jennifer Pahlka argues that government implementers need more authority to avoid becoming risk-averse compliance agents.