Federal CIO Kent Announces Cyber Reskilling Academy
Federal CIO Suzette Kent this morning announced creation of the Federal Cyber Reskilling Academy–a joint effort of the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of Education, and the Federal CIO Council Workforce Committee–to kickstart the Federal government’s efforts to address gaps in the Federal cybersecurity workforce and help retrain Federal employees. […]
Feds Reach IT Modernization Tipping Point
A new report from MeriTalk and the American Council for Technology and Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC) finds that Federal finance, IT, and procurement experts believe we’ve reached an IT modernization tipping point. […]
DHS Launches ICT Sector Supply Chain Risk Task Force
The Department of Homeland Security on Oct. 30 announced launch of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Supply Chain Risk Management Task Force, which the agency said is charged with developing “consensus recommendations” to identify and manage risk to the global ICT supply chain. […]
DHS’ Manfra Discusses FISMA Update, Impact to CDM
Jeanette Manfra, assistant secretary for the Office of Cybersecurity and Communications at the Department of Homeland Security, said today that the new update to Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA) guidance will place even more accountability on department leaders and reflects an evolution in discussions between agencies and DHS. […]
Space Force Establishes New Acquisition Portfolios
The U.S. Space Force is implementing all nine of its acquisition portfolios as part of the Department of Defense’s (DOD) broader efforts to reform its weapon acquisition process. […]
White House Unveils National AI Policy Framework, Urges Congress to Preempt State Laws
The Trump administration on Friday released a legislative framework for a single national policy on artificial intelligence (AI), calling on Congress to adopt a light-touch legislative approach to AI. […]
AI-Fueled Cyber Threats Outpacing Federal Defenses, Report Finds
Nearly all federal IT decision-makers (93%) are concerned about how cyberwarfare will impact their agency, according to new research from Armis. […]
Blackburn Rolls Out 300-Page AI Plan to Create 1 Federal Rulebook
The Senate’s draft proposal for national artificial intelligence (AI) legislation unveiled Wednesday would preempt state laws by focusing on regulations that protect the “4 Cs” – children, creators, conservatives, and communities. […]
Federal HR 2.0 Moves Ahead With Shared Service Center
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is launching an HR Shared Service Center for federal agencies to streamline their human resources (HR) functions, the latest step in the Trump administration’s Federal HR 2.0 initiative. […]
Senate Bill Aims to Curb AI Use by the DOD
A new legislation introduced in the Senate would create restrictions on the Defense Department’s (DOD) use of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to conduct surveillance of U.S. citizens, among other limits. […]
DOE Announces $293M in AI Research Funding Under Genesis Mission
The Department of Energy (DOE) announced Tuesday that $293 million in research funding is available through its Genesis Mission for interdisciplinary teams using novel artificial intelligence (AI) models and frameworks to address national scientific challenges. […]
Golden Dome Cost Rises To $185B
The Trump administration’s Golden Dome missile defense system just got more expensive. Initially priced at $175 billion, the effort will now cost $185 billion, according to Golden Dome Director Gen. Michael Guetlein. […]
Pentagon Challenges Academia for ‘Groundbreaking’ AI, Cyber Curriculum
The Department of Defense (DOD) – rebranded as the Department of War last year – has issued a new call to academia for “groundbreaking entry-level curriculum in AI and cybersecurity to prepare the next generation for the digital front lines.” […]
Mullin Moves Closer to DHS Post After Narrow Committee Vote
The Senate Homeland Security Committee voted 8-7 this morning to advance Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s, R-Okla., nomination to the full Senate, setting up a confirmation vote on whether he will become the next homeland security secretary after President Donald Trump ousted Kristi Noem. […]
With 80 percent of every Federal IT dollar spent on life support for legacy systems, the Federal IT community is exploring new options to modernize and innovate – virtualization, cloud computing, Flash technology, software-defined options, shared services, and more. MeriTalk is staying close to the leaders on the front lines, bringing you new ideas and lessons learned.
And, as Federal IT leaders work to meet demands of an “always-on” highly mobile government, we bring you the stories and breaking news on balancing productivity with security. Our government IT news includes how agencies manage advanced persistent threats, and the steps that help guard against socially engineered threats. We look at the latest trends in malware, spyware, ransomware, and spear phishing. And – how can Federal agencies protect data from tomorrow’s cyber threats?
The MeriTalk “Industry Insider” column, offers a weekly news roundup of contracts and other activity in the Federal IT industry. Check with MeriTalk daily for the government technology news you need to know, or subscribe to get the latest stories delivered directly to your inbox. You’ll stay up to date with interesting and timely Federal IT stories on cybersecurity, big data, data center modernization, cloud, mobile, and other developments in your community – from what’s next for the MGT Act to the highly anticipated Federal IT revolving capital fund, MeriTalk brings you the trends and breaking IT news to help you modernize, innovate, and transform public sector technology and the missions you support.