GovConJudicata Weekly Debrief (9/20–24)
This week's Weekly Debrief covers an NDAA provision on Pentagon UFO study, government shutdown commentary, DoD's flexible IT spending, Army's network modernization efforts, a December vaccine mandate for federal contractors, and leading cyber officials prefer fines over subpoenas.
Congress
"Tucked into the House of Representatives’ lengthy fiscal 2022 National Defense Authorization Act proposal lawmakers passed Thursday evening is a provision to form a permanent office under the Defense secretary, where officials would investigate government- and military-provided reports of unexplained sights in the sky."
"If lightning struck your house twice in 2018, once in 2013 and twice before in 1997, you might consider moving — right? Or investing in a really good lightning rod! And suppose this was a pattern. Nightmarish stuff. But what if the nightmare is real. And you are the target. It’s déjà vu all over again. Groundhog Day, government style!"
Defense
"When it comes to implementing modern software development techniques, one of the Defense Department’s biggest problems has been its own budgeting system. The procurement, R&D and operations buckets the military uses to fund the development of missiles, frigates and tanks are anything but agile."
"The Army’s effort to modernize its networks to prepare for future wars is a “continuous journey” that requires the flexibility to add emerging technologies, the general leading the effort said this week."
Contractors
"Employees of most federal contractors have until Dec. 8 to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 under President Joe Biden’s recent executive order mandating such vaccinations, according to guidance issued by the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force Sept. 24."
Cyber
"Three of the nation’s top cybersecurity leaders asked lawmakers to use fines in crafting legislation that would require private-sector entities to report incidents like ransomware and other cyberattacks."
. . .
Comments