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DOD, GSA to Rethink $8B DEOS Cloud Contract—Again
In the works since 2018, the Pentagon’s Defense Enterprise Office Solutions contract remains on hold.
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DHS Wants to Know What the Public Thinks About Using Drones During Emergencies
A forthcoming survey will ask people about their knowledge of unmanned aerial systems and how they are used, and their opinions on the ethical implications.
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Federal Chief Data Officers Council Names First Chairman
The Agriculture Department’s data lead will take the reins of the new governmentwide council as agencies tick items off their data to-do lists.
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Municipal Workers in One City Unite to Call for Higher Taxes Instead of Layoffs
The effort in Philadelphia involves both union and non-union employees and comes as city elected leaders are trying to solve a budget shortfall caused by the coronavirus outbreak.
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Report Says States’ Age Limits on Absentee Voting Are Unconstitutional
Seven states that require voters to provide an excuse in order to vote by mail allow older voters to cite their age as a reason to vote absentee.
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Policing Reform Bill Would Prohibit Embedding Facial Recognition in Body Cameras
The Justice in Policing Act contains several restrictions on the use of facial biometric technologies for federal, state and local law enforcement.
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GAO Provides Inspector General Reform Guidance to Congress
Among many recommendations, the Congressional watchdog suggested IGs only be removed for just cause.
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Emergency Policies Curbed U.S. Virus Infections by 60 Million, Study Finds
“We see when we’re losing money, what we don’t see is lives that are never lost, people that never get sick because we all took preventative action,” said a lead author of the research.
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Americans are Gargling Bleach to Prevent Coronavirus. (It Doesn't Work.)
Results of a survey commissioned by the CDC found that nearly 40% of respondents had engaged in "high-risk" practices, such as cleaning fruits with bleach solutions or applying household cleaners directly to their skin, in an effort to ward off Covid-19.
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Majority of Minneapolis City Council Vows to Dismantle City’s Police Force
A veto-proof majority of the municipal legislative body said that they will dismantle the police department and reinvest their budget into community-led public safety programs. But many key details have yet to emerge.
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Lawmakers Want To Know Why DHS Used Drones To Surveil Protestors
Congress continues to seek answers from federal agencies regarding their response to nationwide protests.
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DOD Officials, Cybersecurity Accreditation Partners Struggle with the China Question
Officials are also still hammering out conflict-of-interest issues, as watchdogs flag failures in Defense acquisition practices.
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Hundreds of New York City Staffers Write to Mayor Demanding Police Reform and Budget Cuts
New York City municipal employees condemned Mayor Bill de Blasio’s response to recent protests and demanded changes to the city’s police department.
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Federal Managers Should Model Self-Care for Their Employees
Government officials offered tips for managing workplaces during unusually stressful times.
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State and Local Public Workforce Hit With Thousands More Job Losses
The downbeat figures came as the unemployment rate overall showed signs of improvement in May after skyrocketing amid the coronavirus pandemic.
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Congress Seeks Creation of National Research Cloud for Artificial Intelligence
Lawmakers introduced bicameral legislation this week aimed at keeping the United States ahead of China and other adversaries in AI efforts.
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Did Curfews Work? Cities Begin to Roll Back Restrictions
Police say curfews helped quell violence as they begin to lift restrictions, but civil liberties advocates say that they are actually used to stop peaceful protests.
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Energy Curates New Tools, Unveils Funding to Assist Research Efforts Against COVID-19
Through its COVID-19 Technical Assistance Program, the department will provide roughly $500,000 to support research against the pandemic.
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'A Parade, Not A Protest': An Interview With Sheriff Who Took Off Riot Gear, Walked with Protesters
Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson won attention for marching in solidarity with protesters in Flint Township, Michigan. He says he knows it will take more efforts to really improve many people's perceptions of law enforcement.
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