Federal Newscast

House lawmaker wants to do away with Pentagon’s CMMC program

Alabama Republican Gary Palmer has submitted a joint resolution of disapproval to overturn the CMMC rule.

Michele Sandiford

November 20, 2024 4:30 pm

< a min read

At least one member of Congress wants to do away with the Pentagon’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program. Alabama Republican Gary Palmer has submitted a joint resolution of disapproval to overturn the CMMC rule. Under the Congressional Review Act, Congress can move to dismiss some agency rules within 60 days of being issued. But both chambers of Congress would need to pass the resolution, and the president would need to sign it. So far, no other lawmakers have joined Palmer’s push to spike CMMC.
(Joint resolution of disapproval relating to the CMMC program - Congress.gov)

The Federal Salary Council is recommending pay changes that could mean higher wages for more than 4,000 federal employees. In a new report, the council pushed for Syracuse and Auburn counties in New York, as well as Kennewick, Richland and Walla Walla counties in Washington state, to get their own locality pay areas. The council said feds working in those regions have experienced pay disparities that are bigger than the average nationwide wage gap. Over the last year, federal salaries were about 25 percent less than their private sector peers.
(Federal pay rates are falling nearly 25% short of the private sector - Federal News Network )

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is expanding its workforce in the aftermath of major hurricanes. FEMA is continuing to hire staff to help communities across the southeast recover from Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The agency is focused on temporary local hires, as well as a new community liaison program in North Carolina. More than 7,500 FEMA employees are already deployed across North Carolina, Georgia, Florida and other states. And 800 members of the federal Surge Capacity Force are working alongside FEMA as well.
(Criswell written testimony - House Oversight and Accountability Committee)

House appropriators will be taking a microscope to the Social Security Administration’s budget today. SSA Commissioner Martin O’Malley will testify in front of the appropriations committee this morning on the state of the agency’s budget. It’s the first budget hearing SSA has had in a decade. According to his prepared remarks, O’Malley plans to emphasize the challenges the agency has faced with historically low staffing and a rising number of Social Security beneficiaries. Among the committee’s priorities, lawmakers are expected to also question O’Malley about the agency’s current telework policy. The hearing comes just days after O’Malley announced his resignation, which will take effect at the end of the month.
(Social Security Administration hearing - House Appropriations Committee)

What’s a chief data officer supposed to do in government? An annual survey of agency CDOs shows fewer respondents feel they have a clear list of priorities. More than half of respondents said they need more guidance on their responsibility for artificial intelligence. About 90% of CDOs said they are using AI or plan to use AI over the next year. About three-quarters of respondents are seeking an update to the Federal Data Strategy. Fewer CDOs said their agencies are having trouble finding a data-literate federal workforce.
(Five years of progress and the road ahead - Data Foundation )

A sweeping list of changes to how the Department of Veterans Affairs delivers health care and benefits is one step closer to becoming law. The House passed the Sen. Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act. It’s a bipartisan package of VA-related bills lawmakers introduced this session of Congress. The bill would require the VA to develop a plan to expand same-day scheduling for medical appointments. It would also expand pay flexibilities for VA doctors, podiatrists, optometrists and dentists. The bill would also require the VA to develop staffing models for its health care workforce and give Congress annual updates on how they’re meeting those workforce targets. The bill now heads to the Senate.
(Sweeping VA reform bill with pay flexibility for health care workers passes House - Federal News Network)

The Space Development Agency is preparing to release solicitations for the next group of satellites that will be part of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. The first group of satellites, known as Tranche 1, will be launched in the “March-April timeframe,” and the agency is starting work on Tranche 2 satellites. The agency first launched Tranche 0 satellites in April 2023. The launch was delayed by almost six months primarily due to COVID supply chain issues. Solicitations for Tranche 3 will be released in January. The agency wants to expand its missile tracking and defense capabilities with Tranche 3.
(Space Development Agency to release solicitations for Tranche 3 satellites - Federal News Network)

The Defense Department needs a cyber adversary simulation solution that will improve training for the department’s 6,000-plus person Cyber Mission Force. The solution should allow training planners to create highly customized and realistic attack campaigns. While proposals demonstrating product maturity will be given preference, partial solutions that uniquely address specific requirements will also be considered. Responses are due by Dec. 6.
(DoD Seeks cyber adversary simulator to improve training for Cyber Mission Force - Defense Innovation Unit)