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- President Biden’s candidacy for the Pentagon’s top acquisitions official takes his name out of the running. In a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Michael Brown said he was concerned that an ongoing investigation by the Inspector General into the whistleblower allegations against him would delay its confirmation for more than a year. Brown has been the director of the DoD’s Defense Innovation Unit since 2018. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Brown still heads the DIU and the department has no plans to change that. (Federal Intelligence Network)
- The Biden administration has nominated a key official for the future of US space operations. The President appoints Maj. General Michael Guetlein as the first head of Space Systems Command. The command is expected to rise this summer and is responsible for developing, acquiring, deploying and maintaining the military’s space capabilities. The Space and Missile Center will also come under the umbrella of the command. SMC launches satellites for the Space Force. Guetlein is currently Deputy Director of the National Reconnaissance Office.
- A US reserve cadre of civilian cyber experts has come one step closer to reality. The Committee on Home Security and Government Affairs yesterday introduced the Civilian Cyber Security Reserve Act to the Senate. According to the draft law, authorities could appoint civilian cyber reservists to federal civil servants for up to six months at a time. The voluntary reservists are also entitled to security checks. The proposed program is based on a recommendation by the National Commission on Military, National and Civil Service.
- One of the first agencies to agree on a post-pandemic teleworking policy is in the congressional branch. The Government Publishing Office will enable full-time employment for employees who are able to telework and / or remote work. The policy applies to around a third of GPO’s 1,500 employees who do not have to operate machines in GPO’s printing and binding plants. Dan Mielke, chief human capital officer, said a 17-person workgroup would do 100% teleworking after consulting their manager. Director Hugh Halpern said the policy reversed the reluctant pre-pandemic allowance to allow full teleworking.
- Almost all military bases (95%) have lifted their COVID-19 travel restrictions. None of the bases that are still under the Department of Defense’s borders are on the continent of the United States. The restrictions prevent service members from moving from one base to another without waiver and prohibit troops from traveling too far from the base. Most of the restricted installations are in Japan.
- A group of Senate Democrats want agencies to share their re-entry and pandemic safety plans with the public. Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.) And Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) Re-introduced laws aimed at keeping federal employees informed of their agencies’ security plans. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) And Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) Are co-sponsors. MP Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) Re-introduced a house attendant earlier this year, naming him after one of his constituents, a federal employee who died of complications due to COVID-19.
- The Department of Veterans Affairs said it will reconsider its massive electronic health record project after discovering widespread problems when it was initially launched. VA is developing a new budget, deployment plan, and management structure for the project. VA Secretary Denis McDonough said, “Most of the challenges were not technology failures, nor were the great people at Mann-Grandstaff doing their best in the worst of circumstances, implementing this program in the heart of a pandemic and dutifully sharing insights that made the system better and made sure our veterans were safe despite the challenges they faced. Instead, the missteps were ours, at Veterans Affairs and Cerner. “(Bundesnachrichtennetz)
- Ransomware is set to be a top problem on Capitol Hill in the coming weeks. The House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing next Tuesday entitled “Stop Digital Thieves: The Growing Threat of Ransomware”. And a week later, the Senate Judiciary Committee invited senior government officials to testify about their response to ransomware attacks. According to Recorded Future, a cybersecurity company, there were 65,000 ransomware attacks in the past year alone.
- The Inspector General of the Postal Service warned that aspects of the 10-year reform of the USPS could create regional or widespread service problems and the agency may not save as much money as it plans. The IG bureau is asking Congress to budget $ 263 million for fiscal year 2022, which is $ 13 million above current levels. Tammy Whitcomb, USPS inspector general, said the money would increase staffing levels and allow continued monitoring of USPS delays. “The sooner we get these funds, the sooner we can build that capacity to ensure more effective and timely oversight,” said Whitcomb. (Federal Intelligence Network)
- The State Department is shedding light on how it will fix a massive backlog in passport processing. The State Department is ordering a flood of staff and contractors to return to the office and process a backlog of applications that has been made worse by the pandemic. Assistant Assistant Secretary for Passport Services Rachel Ardnt said it takes 12 to 18 weeks to process applications that have already been received, and new applicants won’t get their passports until well into the fall. The Department’s Consular Affairs Office has limited appointments for those with urgent international travel within 72 hours or in life-threatening emergencies.
- The National Institute of Standards and Technology awards more than $ 150 million to promote innovation in the biopharmaceutical industry. Funding will go to the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals for the development of vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, gene therapies, and other medical devices. More than half of the funds will come from the US rescue plan to support further preparation and response to coronavirus outbreaks. Founded in 2017, the institute consists of more than 180 biotechnology companies, device manufacturers, academic institutions and non-profit organizations.
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