Management

Civic hackers explore ways to streamline government operations

Lawmakers and technologists united for a day of civic hacking on Capitol Hill as part of an effort to modernize government services and make government operations more efficient.

Tech

VA's health record 'reset' will extend into 2024

There's one deployment of the new, multibillion dollar EHR on the books for next April and officials expect the rollouts to pick up in the summer.

Tech

Hawaii’s wildfires led to fast tracking federal identity tools for unemployment claims 

Hawaii is the second state after Arkansas to employ Login.gov and U.S. Postal Service identity proofing options in its unemployment insurance system. 

Defense

The Pentagon’s innovation arm has a new chief and a new strategy

‘DIU 3.0,’ now under SecDef review, aims to embed teams in the combatant commands.

Tech

Emerging tech is an SBA priority for both internal systems and external assistance

The Small Business Administration is leading the charge to democratize access to emerging technologies — particularly AI — across U.S. companies.

Tech

The federal government's most disliked IT help desks

A survey of more than 270,000 federal employees shows DOD at the bottom when it comes to satisfaction with IT support and equipment.

Tech

Government websites are loaded with misinformation, and that’s a big problem for AI

Sometimes information that looks reliable because it’s from a federal agency website has not in fact been vetted, and AI systems are only as trustworthy as the data they’re fed.

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.

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

Defense Digital Service elevates top deputy to serve as director

Jennifer Hay will lead the Defense Department’s in-house team of software engineers and data scientists.

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

The White House is developing a 10-year modernization plan to replace legacy IT

The National Cybersecurity Strategy tasks the Office of Management and Budget with creating a plan to eliminate all vulnerable legacy systems from federal agencies within a decade.

Management

Responsible AI use in support of federal agency missions 

COMMENTARY︱The potential benefits of artificial intelligence for federal agencies are not a new conversation, but how to implement the technology so officials can achieve the gains they are looking for is worth taking time with.

Workforce

Want successful integration of AI at federal agencies? Engage employees through the unions

COMMENTARY | AI will bring dramatic, disruptive, productive changes that can improve how the work of government is carried out over the next 10 years. To prepare for it, organizations will need to learn together and plan together.

Workforce

Where agencies are turning to automation to augment human work

Tech policy leadership discussed ongoing federal use cases for automated systems, emphasizing responsible implementation and agency-specific training. 

Management

VA secretary: Automation will help agency ‘make better, faster, more informed decisions’

VA Secretary Denis McDonough said the department is poised “to deliver a completely new, fully integrated experience” for veterans as officials expect a further increase in PACT Act claims.

Defense

House, Senate China hawks concerned White House will let TikTok stay in the US

Key Republican lawmakers in the House and Senate warned that tweaked language in a new Commerce Department rule could lay the groundwork for TikTok’s proposal to store U.S. users’ data in the country.

Oversight

Democrats call YouTube ‘extremely irresponsible’ for election misinformation rollback

YouTube’s decision to stop removing false content about previous U.S. elections “threatens to weaken our democracy,” several top Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee said in a letter to the platform’s leaders. 

Management

VA official expects Oracle Cerner to deliver on $10B EHR contract despite layoffs

While lawmakers and officials expect work to continue as planned, an insider warned that layoffs at Oracle Cerner targeted a clinical team that worked to implement new electronic health record systems.

Management

Vacant White House cyber post draws concern amid global software breach

In the aftermath of a global cyberattack exposing personal data on millions of Americans, calls are growing for the White House to fill the top slot at the Office of the National Cyber Director.