• Carolyn Colvin is expected to move back into the acting commissioner's role at the Social Security Administration. SSA confirmed that President Joe Biden is expected to name Colvin, a 30-year SSA veteran and former acting commissioner for six years, to lead SSA during the transition. Martin O'Malley, the SSA commissioner, announced earlier this month that he is leaving at the end of November. Colvin returned to SSA last January as a senior adviser to O'Malley after retiring in 2017. During her most recent tenure at SSA, one of Colvin's main focuses was one fixing underpayments to citizens. SSA said it has issued more than a billion dollars over the past year to fix underpayment problems.
  (Long-time SSA executive to take over as acting commissioner - SSA.gov)
• A bipartisan group of senators wants an investigation into the Transportation Security Administration’s use of facial recognition. In a letter to Homeland Security Inspector General Joseph Cuffari, 12 senators said TSA has been expanding its use of the technology without proper oversight. They’re asking Cuffari to evaluate the effectiveness of TSA’s facial recognition systems, including whether their use has reduced passenger screening delays. TSA’s facial recognition system is deployed in 84 airports nationwide, with plans to expand to more than 400 airports in the coming years.
  (Merkley urges oversight of TSA’s unchecked use of facial recognition technology at airports nationwide - Office of Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.))
• House Republicans are looking to revoke the Biden administration’s diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility efforts. A bill called the Dismantle DEI Act aims to close down diversity offices across the federal government. The legislation would remove feds who are currently working on DEIA-related projects. The employees would not be reassigned to new positions. Supporters of the GOP-led bill argue that DEIA programs create division and inefficiencies at agencies. But committee Democrats highly criticized the legislation. They said diversity initiatives promote fairness and support historically underserved communities. The Dismantle DEI Act advanced out of the Oversight committee last week in a vote along party lines.
  (House Oversight and Accountability Committee - Dismantle DEI Act)
• The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency is tackling a growing backlog of background investigations. DCSA has set up a tiger team of senior officials to address rising security clearance timelines and backlogs. The agency’s background investigations inventory has grown to nearly 300,000 cases for the first time since 2019. DCSA officials believe they can clear out the backlog by streamlining investigative processes, like records checks. The agency is also trying to get a more accurate forecast of government and industry demand for security clearance investigations moving forward.
  (DCSA ‘tiger team’ digs into growing background investigations backlog - Federal News Network)

        Join us Jan. 27 for our Industry Exchange Cyber 2025 event where industry leaders will share the latest cybersecurity strategies and technologies.

• The Space Force has placed a defense contractor on a watch list designed to keep underperforming companies accountable. Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant, commander of Space Systems Command didn’t identify the contractor but said the company contributes to a high-priority space program. “There is a company on the watch list today. I won’t get into specifics of which company. I will say the tool has absolutely worked as intended.” Space Systems Command, which has the authority to place contractors on the list, has never confirmed the use of this tool until this week. The 2025 defense policy bill seeks to expand the use of the watch list. the responsibility for the watch list would shift from Space Systems Command to the suspension and debarment official of the Department of the Air Force.
  (Space Force puts a defense contractor on watch list - Federal News Network)
• The Defense Department is seeking industry feedback on a draft request for proposal from industry for the Advancing Artificial Intelligence Multiple Award Contract. The goal of this draft RFP is to ensure that the final RFP clearly communicates the Defense Department’s needs for the contract. Responses to the draft RFP are voluntary and won't affect contractors’ ability to submit a proposal once the final solicitation is released. The contract will support the development of AI technologies and has a potential combined value of $15 billion. Responses are due by Dec. 20.
  (DoD seeks feedback on draft RFP for Advancing AI contract - Sam.gov)
• The Department of Government Efficiency’s efforts to make workforce and spending cuts will soon be under Congress’ microscope. Leaders on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee announced plans this week to form a DOGE subcommittee in the next Congress. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) will serve as the subcommittee’s chairwoman. A source familiar with the Oversight committee’s plans said lawmakers have already met with the incoming Trump administration’s DOGE team. The source added that the DOGE team is “supportive” of the committee’s plans and the two groups are already working together. Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) is expected to remain the committee’s leader in the next Congress. In the coming weeks, Comer plans to announce additional Oversight subcommittees.
  (House GOP setting up DOGE subcommittee to address ‘wasteful’ federal spending - Federal News Network)
• OMB is changing the way it measures and monitors IT projects and GAO is none to happy. OMB and GAO are butting heads on how the administration is meeting the spirit and intent of the Federal IT Acquisition and Reform Act or FITARA. In a new report, OMB pushed back against GAO's findings specifically around IT project oversight efforts. GAO said Federal CIO Clare Martorana isn't involved directly enough in IT project oversight. Auditors also were critical of how OMB identifies high-risk programs. OMB said it has evolved its approach due to budget and resource constraints to review IT projects as part of the annual budget process. OMB also said it will seek to add fields to the IT Dashboard to collect information on reduced duplication and net program benefits achieved.
  (OMB, agencies are not fully addressing selected statutory requirements - Government Accountability Office)

Copyright © 2024 Federal News Network. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.