FedScoop

Federal workers union sues Education Department over altered shutdown emails The suit says the changes go “far beyond” the “lawful use of the presidential bully pulpit.”

The suit says the changes go “far beyond” the “lawful use of the presidential bully pulpit.” via @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social fedscoop.com/education-de...

IRS taps familiar face as new CEO: SSA’s Frank Bisignano The Social Security Administration commissioner will keep his current position and step into the newly created role overseeing day-to-day operations at the embattled tax agency.

The Social Security Administration commissioner will keep his current position and step into the newly created role overseeing day-to-day operations at the embattled tax agency. via @mattbracken.bsky.social fedscoop.com/irs-ceo-fran...

YouTube video by CyberScoop Researchers say Israeli government likely behind AI-generated disinfo campaign in Iran

The group leveraged dozens of social media accounts and “routinely used” AI-generated imagery and video to stoke unrest among Iran’s population, according to Citizen Lab. via @derekbjohnson.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rk1... | cyberscoop.com/citizen-lab-...

Furloughed Education Department workers ‘shocked’ after automatic email replies changed to blame shutdown on Democrats The apparently automatic email changes are raising fears that agency employees will be implicated in Hatch Act violations.

“Furloughed Education Department workers ‘shocked’ after automatic email replies changed to blame shutdown on Democrats” via @fedscoop.bsky.social:

fedscoop.com/furloughed-e...

Furloughed Education Department workers ‘shocked’ after automatic email replies changed to blame shutdown on Democrats The apparently automatic email changes are raising fears that agency employees will be implicated in Hatch Act violations.

The apparently automatic email changes are raising fears that agency employees will be implicated in Hatch Act violations. via @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social fedscoop.com/furloughed-e...

Data error causes already RIF’d State Department workers to get furlough info That included notifications that roles were “excepted” during a shutdown. A spokesperson pointed to “minor data” discrepancies, which the agency worked to fix.

That included notifications that roles were “excepted” during a shutdown. A spokesperson pointed to “minor data” discrepancies, which the agency worked to fix. via @madialder.bsky.social fedscoop.com/data-error-r...

Lawsuit seeks agency details on AI’s role in Trump’s deregulation push Democracy Forward is calling on four agencies to release documents on how they use AI for deregulatory efforts.

Democracy Forward is calling on four agencies to release documents on how they use AI for deregulatory efforts. via @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social fedscoop.com/lawsuit-seek...

How agency IT operations will play out during the shutdown FedScoop takes a detailed look at contingency plans at civilian CFO Act agencies for general tech and Office of the Chief Information Officer functions.

FedScoop takes a detailed look at contingency plans at civilian CFO Act agencies for general tech and Office of the Chief Information Officer functions. fedscoop.com/agency-it-te...

YouTube video by FedScoop The federal government shuts down; Takeaways from Hegseth’s meeting with the military’s top brass

For the first time since 2019, also during a Trump administration, federal appropriations have lapsed, resulting in furloughs for hundreds of thousands of federal employees and contractors and the halting of many agency operations. youtu.be/daykUNII04c

HHS has a new DOGE-affiliated technology chief Zachary Terrell is the chief technology officer at the Department of Health and Human Services, FedScoop has learned. He is also serving at NSF.

The Department of Health and Human Services has tapped DOGE affiliate Zachary Terrell to be its chief technology officer, sources told FedScoop. via @madialder.bsky.social fedscoop.com/hhs-has-new-...

Federal software buying bill is back in play in the House The SAMOSA Act, reintroduced by a bipartisan group of House lawmakers, would overhaul IT purchasing practices across the federal government.

The SAMOSA Act, reintroduced by a bipartisan group of House lawmakers, would overhaul IT purchasing practices across the federal government. via @mattbracken.bsky.social fedscoop.com/house-samosa...

YouTube video by CyberScoop Dem report concludes Department of Government Efficiency violates cybersecurity, privacy rules

DOGE is “bypassing cybersecurity protections” at three agencies, Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Democrats concluded. via @timstarks.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=viiq... | cyberscoop.com/senate-democ...

Federal leaders see IT asset management as crucial to cost savings In an administration hellbent on slashing budgets, IT leaders from the NRC, DOJ and PNNL connect the dots between a unified ITAM strategy and lower costs.

In an administration hellbent on slashing budgets, IT leaders from the NRC, DOJ and PNNL connect the dots between a unified ITAM strategy and lower costs. via @mattbracken.bsky.social fedscoop.com/federal-itam...

Watchdog finds dozens of agencies fail to consistently certify procurement data The incomplete data quality reports covered $2 billion in federal contracts in fiscal 2023.

The incomplete data quality reports covered $2 billion in federal contracts in fiscal 2023. via @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social fedscoop.com/agency-feder...

Federal CIO ‘fully committed’ to GSA 20x as it moves into phase two The White House’s Greg Barbaccia and GSA’s Pete Waterman spoke Wednesday about next steps to improve government cloud purchasing.

The White House’s Greg Barbaccia and GSA’s Pete Waterman spoke Wednesday about next steps to improve government cloud purchasing. via @madialder.bsky.social & @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social fedscoop.com/federal-cio-...

White House directs agencies to consider staff reductions in case of shutdown In a message to agency leaders, the Office of Management and Budget said a funding lapse for programs means that they no longer have to be carried out.

In a message to agency leaders, the Office of Management and Budget said a funding lapse for programs means that they no longer have to be carried out. via @madialder.bsky.social fedscoop.com/white-house-...

xAI strikes GSA deal for Grok after weeks of speculation The GSA’s AI safety team determined Grok 4 met its guidelines after testing, an agency official said.

The GSA’s AI safety team determined Grok 4 met its guidelines after testing, an agency official said. via @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social fedscoop.com/grok-governm...

Interior watchdog finds $40 million in misclassified IT purchases Misclassification makes it harder to track IT spending, could result in redundant purchases, and increases the risk of breaches and vulnerabilities, the OIG report said.

Misclassification makes it harder to track IT spending, could result in redundant purchases, and increases the risk of breaches and vulnerabilities, the OIG report said. via @madialder.bsky.social fedscoop.com/interior-wat...

IRS to begin phasing out paper refund checks next week The tax agency’s Sept. 30 deadline matches a March executive order to modernize payments across the federal government.

The tax agency’s Sept. 30 deadline matches a March executive order to modernize payments across the federal government. via @mattbracken.bsky.social fedscoop.com/irs-paper-ch...

Federal leaders tailor ‘sales pitch’ to curb AI hesitancy in agencies Agency officials at recent govtech events say they’ve leaned into AI education and touted the ability to eliminate toil as part of efforts to combat workforce hesitancy with the technology.

Agency officials at recent govtech events say they’ve leaned into AI education and touted the ability to eliminate toil as part of efforts to combat workforce hesitancy with the technology. via @madialder.bsky.social fedscoop.com/federal-lead...

We'll have elections, and the Constitution is on the side of the states and Congress in terms of how they're run, but we have never had a federal government use all its power to screw with an election before. It would be wise for everyone for begin gaming out different scenarios.

Emerging tech, energy, space among Trump administration R&D priorities The White House released five federal priorities for fiscal year 2027. They come as administration actions face backlash from scientists and researchers.

The White House released five federal priorities for fiscal year 2027. They come as administration actions face backlash from scientists and researchers. via @madialder.bsky.social fedscoop.com/emerging-tec...

📢 Meta will offer Llama AI models to government for free in a new GSA deal.

Meta joins OpenAI and Anthropic in providing government access to AI models for steep discounts. 🤖

But they won't be free forever. 👀

Full scoop from @fedscoop.bsky.social 📰 ➡️ fedscoop.com/meta-gsa-dea...

Clearview AI, the facial recognition company that scraped the internet for images of people’s faces for its database, is building a tool to deal with an emerging problem: AI-generated faces. 🤖

Learn more on @fedscoop.bsky.social 📰 ➡️ fedscoop.com/clearview-ai...

Clearview AI is building a deepfake detection tool The company, which sells its technology to several government agencies including the FBI, aims to have the tool ready for customers by the end of 2025.

The company, which sells its technology to several government agencies including the FBI, aims to have the tool ready for customers by the end of 2025. via @rebheilweil.bsky.social fedscoop.com/clearview-ai...

Trump’s push for more admissions data collides with a hollowed-out Education Department Gutted research offices raise doubts about the agency’s future data integrity, several former ED staffers say.

The Trump admin wants the Education Department to collect more college admissions data, even as it slashes the staff that ensures the statistics are credible & accurate.

Read more on uncertainties surrounding the future of education research👇 @fedscoop.bsky.social

fedscoop.com/education-de...

Trump’s push for more admissions data collides with a hollowed-out Education Department Gutted research offices raise doubts about the agency’s future data integrity, several former ED staffers say.

Gutted research offices raise doubts about the agency’s future data integrity, several former ED staffers say. via @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social fedscoop.com/education-de...

Meta offers Llama AI models to government for free in GSA deal Models are open source, giving agencies more control, the GSA said.

Models are open source, giving agencies more control, the GSA said. via @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social fedscoop.com/meta-gsa-dea...

Congressional Hackathon signals mentality shift over emerging tech Event participants hope Congress’s reputation as being behind on technology will be a thing of the past.

Event participants hope Congress’s reputation as being behind on technology will be a thing of the past. via @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social fedscoop.com/congressiona...

OPM makes Copilot and ChatGPT available to its workforce The human capital agency is the latest to make generative AI tools broadly available to its workforce. HHS rolled out ChatGPT departmentwide earlier this month.

The human capital agency is the latest to make generative AI tools broadly available to its workforce. HHS rolled out ChatGPT departmentwide earlier this month. via @madialder.bsky.social & @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social fedscoop.com/opm-makes-co...