Oversight

AI is part of a 'new era' at IRS, commissioner says

The tax agency announced the expansion of work to use AI in how it goes after large partnerships.

HHS looks to improve cybersecurity coordination

The agency is utilizing a relaunched cybersecurity coordination center and additional programs to significantly ramp up interactions with key partners, a top official said.

From shutdown prospects to anti-telework bills: 5 things to watch when Congress returns

Pending legislation could affect federal employees' work-life balance, civil service protections, TSP investment options and more.

FDIC needs to sharpen its cyberthreat sharing with financial institutions, OIG says

Despite recent improvements, a watchdog report claims the agency still has more it can do to make threat-sharing policies more effective. 

Special counsels, like the one leading the Justice Department’s investigation of Hunter Biden, are intended to be independent − but they aren’t entirely

Ensuring impartiality in the Justice Department can be difficult, as the attorney general is appointed by – and answerable to – a partisan president.

DEA has regularly hired applicants it flagged as lying on their polygraphs

The agency also faces allegations of nepotism in its lie detector testing and a watchdog is saying the issues require "immediate attention" from management.

FEMA’s disaster relief fund is running low on cash. What happens now?

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s disaster relief fund is facing at least a $4 billion deficit.

DeJoy's USPS overhaul plan might not be carried out well, watchdog finds

Postal Service management sharply critiques auditors' findings, saying GAO has a "fundamental misunderstanding" of the agency.

The CDC works to overhaul lab operations after COVID test flop

A design flaw and contamination during production at the CDC led its initial tests to give false positive results.

GAO: USDA violated the Anti-Deficiency Act while planning its relocation of science agencies

House Democrats renewed calls to institute tighter regulation of agency relocations in light of the watchdog agency's findings.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau helms multi-agency effort to scrutinize sale of Americans’ data

The CFPB and the Federal Trade Commission are teaming up to investigate long-awaited regulatory steps into the sale of Americans’ data by third-party companies. 

New bill aims to address private sector cyber risks to FEMA operations

A proposed amendment to the Homeland Security Act would task FEMA and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to work with private entities to ensure digital risks to agency operations are mitigated. 

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.

Maui wildfires: Extra logistical challenges hinder government’s initial response when disasters strike islands

How the U.S. government responds to disasters like these and how Maui’s geography could interfere with aid delivery.

GAO: IRS must enhance cyber oversight of third-party vendors, modernize online services

The IRS continues to ignore GAO’s recommendation to streamline oversight of third-party tax vendors’ cyber practices, despite concerns about mitigating digital threats.

Government contractors grapple with enforcement challenges of TikTok ban

Industry groups are raising censorship and privacy concerns over a ban of popular social media app TikTok on devices used by government contractors.