• Junior enlisted troops will receive a historic pay raise next year after President Joe Biden signed the annual defense bill into law on Monday. Other service members will get a 4.5% raise beginning January. Junior enlisted service members ranks E-1 through E-4 will see the extra 10% added to their paycheck beginning April. The bill also increases the income eligibility threshold for the basic needs allowance to 200% of federal poverty guidelines. Congress must still authorize a full fiscal 2025 spending bill once it’s back in session.
  (Biden signs annual defense policy bill - The White House)
• Four agencies and one federal organization violated the Anti-Deficiency Act in fiscal 2024. The Government Accountability Office found the departments of Agriculture, Defense and Homeland Security as well as the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board and the Interagency Council on Homelessness all spent money they didn't have or accepted voluntary services. In its annual report to Congress, GAO said the violations ranged from $16,000 to more than $23 million. Agencies who violated the Anti-Deficiency Act must tell GAO and Congress what they are doing to prevent a future violations.
  (Four agencies violated Anti-Deficiency Act in 2024 - GAO)
• President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire investor Stephen Feinberg to serve as the next deputy secretary of defense. Feinberg is the co-founder and chief executive officer of Cerberus Capital Management, a private equity firm active in the defense space. He is also a major donor to the president-elect. Earlier this year, Feinberg launched Cerberus Venture One focused on investments in defense startups. In his announcement, Trump said Feinberg is an “extremely successful businessman” and that he will “help Make the Pentagon Great Again.”
  (Trump names his pick for deputy defense secretary - Federal News Network)
• Lawmakers want to know how well prepared the Department of Homeland Security is for potential GPS outages. Senators Maggie Hassan and Jim Lankford are asking Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas about DHS’ assessment of the risks to critical infrastructure posed by GPS outages. Both Hassan and Lankford are members of the Homeland Security Committee. They point to a dramatic increase in GPS jamming and spoofing in recent years. The pair are asking DHS about resources, planning and preparedness efforts around infrastructure that relies on GPS, like transportation, agriculture and emergency services.
  (DHS GPS letter - Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) office)

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• The 2025 intelligence authorization bill is pushing the intelligence community on several emerging technology areas. The bill passed as part of the 2025 defense authorization bill require the director of national intelligence to submit a new counter-biotechnology strategy. It also formalizes the establishment of the Artificial Intelligence Security Center at the National Security Agency. And it directs the Pentagon to establish a geospatial workforce pilot program.
  (Key tech, workforce provisions in 2025 intel authorization bill - Federal News Network )
• What would it take to get more cloud services through FedRAMP? The FedRAMP program management office said it is considering charging vendors to go through the authorization process. But before it does that, it wants feedback. The PMO is exploring ideas to increase the number of approvals it can handle and having a regular funding source is one way. FedRAMP is asking for input across seven questions, including factors to keep in mind when developing a cost model and whether there are any other current security or compliance programs that charge money that could be used as a model. The FedRAMP PMO wants feedback by Feb. 28.
  (Cloud security program wants feedback on charging vendors - FedRAMP)
• Federal employees can obtain or update their Personal Identity Verification cards at more post offices across the US. The General Services Administration and the Postal Service are expanding the number of USAccess Credentialing sites located at post offices. New credentialing sites include post offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Sacramento and Columbus, Ohio. GSA said it plans to expand credentialing to more post offices later this fiscal year.
  (GSA and USPS announce 10 new credentialing locations available for federal workers - General Services Administration)

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