Federal Newscast

Pentagon publishes final rule implementing CMMC

The Pentagon estimates 80,000 defense contractors may be required to obtain a Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification assessment.

Michele Sandiford

September 10, 2025 3:00 pm

< a min read

The Pentagon has published the final acquisition rule implementing the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program. The rule, released in yesterday’s Federal Register, will allow Defense Department procurements to include CMMC assessment requirements. The assessments are intended to ensure that defense contractors are following cybersecurity standards for protecting controlled unclassified information. The Pentagon estimates that 80,000 defense contractors may be required to obtain a CMMC assessment. Officials plan to phase in the requirements over a three-year period.
(Pentagon announces the final DFARS rule implementing the CMMC program - Department of Defense)

The Office of Personnel Management is telling agencies to be clearer in the way they title different federal jobs. For example, a human resources specialist can be simply called a “recruiter,” OPM says. And rather than using the umbrella term of “IT specialist,” agencies should consider using titles like “cloud engineer” or “digital services designer.” OPM’s new guidance on job titling comes as part of the Trump administration’s “merit hiring plan.”
(Job titling guidance - Office of Personnel Management)

The House Rules Committee advanced the 2026 annual defense policy bill, approving nearly 300 amendments for debate. Democratic lawmakers argued that their proposals were largely blocked, while Republicans pushed hot-button cultural issues. House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-Wash.) said he will vote against the passage of the rule for the defense bill and if those GOP amendments are adopted, he will oppose final passage of the bill. In the last two years, House Republicans have been able to pass the annual defense bill along party lines.
(House Rules Committee advances annual defense bill - House Armed Services Committee - Democrats)

Federal employees say that some of their office buildings aren’t ready for in-person work. The General Services Administration is telling more of its regional employees to return to the office full time starting in early October. But one of its buildings in Fort Worth, Texas is dealing with several problems. GSA says it’s addressing mold on surfaces, rodents and the presence of Legionella bacteria in some of the building’s water sources. GSA is dealing with a multi-billion-dollar maintenance backlog across its portfolio of buildings.
(Mold, pests, and broken elevators: Federal employees wary of return-to-office conditions - Federal News Network)

The Trump administration is calling on Congress to pass a four-month stopgap spending bill in order to avoid a government shutdown. Congressional appropriators say the White House is asking lawmakers to pass a continuing resolution that would keep most current spending levels through January 31st. Lawmakers have until October 1 to pass a comprehensive spending plan for fiscal 2026, or approve a continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown.
(White House seeks stopgap bill through Jan. 31 to avoid government shutdown - Federal News Network)

Nearly 400 charities are urging the Trump administration to proceed with the 2025 Combined Federal Campaign. Those organizations wrote a letter to the Office of Personnel Management, after reports that the Trump administration was considering canceling this year’s CFC. The annual drive lets federal employees donate to thousands of charitable organizations worldwide. In their letter, the charities called the program “invaluable,” and warned of millions of dollars of waste if the campaign is canceled. Organizations participating in the CFC have already invested millions in preparation for the 2025 campaign.
(Letter to OPM on 2025 Combined Federal Campaign - The Nonprofit Alliance)

Democrat James Walkinshaw will be the newest member of Congress, winning a special election in Virginia’s 11th Congressional District. He will replace Gerry Connolly. Connolly who held the U.S. House seat representing the City of Fairfax and much of Fairfax County since 2009, died in May. Walkinshaw served as Connolly’s chief of staff and is serving his second term as the Braddock District supervisor on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. Connolly endorsed Walkinshaw as his successor before his death. Walkinshaw beat out Republican candidate Stewart Whitson, a former FBI special agent and Army veteran, earning nearly 75% of the vote to Whitson’s 25%.
(Walkinshaw wins House seat, replacing Gerry Connolly - WTOP)

The White House’s top cybersecurity official has called for stronger partnerships with the private sector. New National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross says his immediate priority is getting Congress to reauthorize the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015. Speaking at the Billington Cyber Summit yesterday, Cairncross also called for industry to meet strong security standards and for the government to streamline cyber regulations. “This requires regulators to come to the table and for the private sector to step up,” he said. The public address was Cairncross’s first since being confirmed by the Senate in late August.
(Cairncross calls for investing in cyber workforce, upping federal defenses - Federal News Network)

Federal employees who have been laid off this year have a new place to turn for support. A coalition of organizations has launched a new effort called the “You Are Not Alone” project. The idea is to provide career guidance, as well as connections to legal and personal support, to laid-off federal employees. The project is led by Democracy Forward, the Partnership for Public Service and the American Federation of Government Employees. The groups already launched a pilot of the project for employees impacted by reductions in force at the State Department.
(“You are not alone” project - Democracy Forward, Partnership for Public Service, American Federation of Government Employees)

The Trump administration is more open to establishing a separate cyber force, and a new think tank report has offered a roadmap for how to build it. The new report, co-authored by Mark Montgomery from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, outlines practical steps for establishing the new service, and provides a framework for navigating the challenges of creating it. “There’s a chance that President Trump makes the decision in six to 12 weeks. And if that’s the case, someone needs to have done a blueprint.” The cyber force would organize, train and equip personnel for defensive cyber missions, offensive cyber missions and cyber as it relates to intelligence. The new branch would be established as a Title 10 military service and placed within the Army.
(Here is what a separate cyber service could look like - Federal News Network)

Drew Myklegard, the deputy federal chief information officer, is leaving his role after almost four years. His last day is September 22. Federal News Network has learned Myklegard told staff yesterday that he will take a position in the private sector. He didn’t say where he was going. It’s also unclear who will take over for him, even on an acting basis. Myklegard joined the Office of Management and Budget in January 2022, replacing Maria Roat. Before joining OMB, Myklegard worked at the Veterans Affairs Department for more than eight years.
(Myklegard leaving federal deputy CIO role - Federal News Network)