New data from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) shows a substantial increase in the use of online VA healthcare tools amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and stay-at-home orders. […]

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has experienced delays in converting facilities to its new electronic health record (EHR) capabilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but is now targeting October to implement the changes. […]

Officials with several leading Federal IT service providers applauded government agency grades on last week’s FITARA Scorecard, but also suggested a range of grading category adjustments for the scorecard to better track where agency performance should be going in the future. […]

While 82 percent of Federal IT managers surveyed by MeriTalk agree that the amount of streaming data their agency manages is on the rise, 59 percent also said that their agency is struggling to secure its data consistently between on-premises and cloud. […]

Time to join the CIO Community in getting social to thank Suzette Kent for her Most Valuable Player performance as our Federal CIO – and especially her leadership in the coronavirus pandemic. Take a look at this tribute video – and share it on your social channels. […]

A top U.S. intelligence community leader said today the IC doubts the ability of U.S. adversaries to manipulate the results of U.S. general election voting in any widespread way, while warning that exploits may be attempted against election infrastructure with a goal of interfering with voting processes, stealing data, and casting doubt on the democratic process. […]

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently reviewed usage health information exchanges (HIEs) at 48 VA facilities and community providers for possible barriers to their use. […]

A Department of State program is offering up to $10 million to help identify bad actors, individuals who are working with or for a foreign government with the purpose of interfering with U.S. elections through certain cyber acts. […]

Amb. Robert Strayer, the Department of State’s point person for cyber and international communications policy, is leaving government to join the Information Technology Industry (ITI) Council, a global technology trade association. […]

The Department of State launched the Clean Network program on August 5 to promote the protection of American data and telecommunications infrastructure, specifically targeting China-based companies. […]

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is seeking other means to identify airline passengers when they cannot provide acceptable identity documentation. […]

Data can come in many forms – census data, tax information, even video footage – but whether data is structured in a spreadsheet or unstructured in myriad other forms used to be the key determinant in what insights could be drawn from it.  Not anymore. […]

Reflecting on tech progress during the COVID-19 pandemic, Deputy Federal CIO Maria Roat advocated for IT transformation culture changes and sustaining modernization projects in the long term to keep up the momentum for Federal IT improvements.   […]

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is investing in introducing quantum information science (QIS) into K-12 schools, awarding a $750,000 award to an Illinois-based organization that is looking to spread quantum-related curricula. […]

The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency – the organization which oversees nearly all of the Federal government’s security clearances – is scheduled to host a virtual security conference to kick off the second annual National Insider Threat Awareness Month in early September. […]

Sens. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Tim Scott, R-S.C., introduced the Connecting Minority Communities Act on Aug. 4. The legislation would codify the existing Minority Broadband Initiative at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in a new Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives (MBI). […]

Cloud security provider Zscaler said it is making progress in efforts to obtain “High Impact” level classification under the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) for its Zscaler Internet Access (ZIA) service – a secure internet and web gateway  solution that was the first product of its kind to receive to earn FedRAMP certification earlier this year. […]

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is working toward meeting the Office of Management and Budget’s Frictionless Acquisition Cross-Agency Priority (CAP) goal with innovative data management through its Pilot IRS program. […]

Reps. Will Hurd, R-Texas, and Robin Kelly, D-Ill., have partnered with the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) and the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) to release a new report that calls for Federal investments into AI R&D. […]

As government cybersecurity practices shifted to adjust to the increase in telework during the COVID-19 pandemic, officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) previewed cyber tools offered by the agencies, but reminded Feds that knowing the network architecture is an early and necessary step toward selecting the correct protections. […]

The COVID-19 pandemic has made all levels of government radically change how they operate. From shifting their workforce to telework to delivering government services digitally, Federal, state, and local governments have had to pivot the way they work, while still delivering on their mission. […]

The Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency released a new online tool designed to help individuals navigate career options in the field of cybersecurity. […]

Sen. Angus King Jr., I-Maine, defended the Cyberspace Solarium Commission’s key recommendation to create a Senate-confirmed National Cyber Director before his Senate colleagues on Tuesday, finding commonality with the subcommittee chair on the position.   […]

When it comes to the security of sensitive information in the energy sector, collaboration between the Department of Energy, intelligence community, and private sector are foundational to these efforts, Senior Advisor at the Office of Policy for Cybersecurity, Energy Security, & Emergency Response Alexander Gates said. […]

President Donald Trump signed an executive order August 3 to make COVID-19 era changes to telehealth – such as telehealth coverage in Medicare programs and investments in telecommunications infrastructure – permanent after the pandemic ends. […]

The Trump Administration has released guidance on implementing an executive order (EO) for agencies that emphasizes hiring based on skills rather than whether the potential hire has a college degree. […]

The National Security Agency (NSA) is asking government employees, specifically those in the national security sector and at the Department of Defense, to take precautions to defend their location data from third parties. […]

Setting the stage for the nation’s coronavirus pandemic recovery begs new ways of thinking and collaboration. That’s why MeriTalk, ACT-IAC, and the Partnership for Public Service are joining forces on a project to deliver a set of operating and policy recommendations to promote stronger and more resilient Federal government operations to power the recovery. […]

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) earned an “A” grade on the tenth version of the FITARA Scorecard issued this week by the House Oversight and Reform Committee, according to amended data provided by the Government Operations Subcommittee on August 4. […]

The national security community of the United States has found itself in a conundrum in the last few years, warning other countries about the risks of the China-based company Huawei, but unable to provide an American alternative for 5G networks. […]