The Fed Mission Success Round Up: IRS Making Headway on Individual Master File Modernization; House Passes TMF Bill; and the NIST Strategic Vision for AI Safety

Welcome to the Fed Mission Success News Round Up brought to you by Makpar. Each week, we will provide a summary of actionable news and insights to help aid in overall mission success for Federal agency IT decision-makers and influencers.

IRS is Making Headway on Modernizing 1960s-Era Tax System, Commissioner Says

The IRS is moving forward in its efforts to modernize the system for individual tax account data, called the Individual Master File, that dates back to the 1960s. The agency hopes it can potentially switch to the modern version for the next tax season.

House Passes Technology Modernization Fund Bill, Awaits Senate’s Move

Last week, a bill to update the Technology Modernization Fund passed the House via voice vote under suspension of rules, answering repeated calls from within Congress and the Biden administration to fund the program.

NIST Unveils Strategic Vision for AI Safety

Last week, the U.S. Department of Commerce released a guiding document for operations of its AI Safety Institute, run out of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

Automation Helped VA Approve 1 Million PACT Act Claims

The Department of Veterans Affairs has been using automation and optimized IT systems to quickly process veterans’ benefits claims — an effort that has helped 1 million retired servicemembers and their beneficiaries receive compensation for exposure to toxins, according to VA officials.

Agency CISOs Aren’t Sweating a Looming Zero Trust Deadline

Federal agencies are up against a fast-approaching deadline on a slew of cybersecurity standards, but the CISOs responsible for hitting those marks feel relatively optimistic about the goal to implement a so-called “zero trust” model for IT systems.

DHS Official: AI Could Exacerbate Chemical and Biological Threats

The assistant secretary for DHS’s Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction office warned in an recent FedScoop interview that AI could supercharge biological research — and invent new pathogens.

The U.S. is Still Falling Behind on Electronic Warfare, Special Operators Warn

The U.S. military is “still falling behind” its potential adversaries in electronic warfare, one former three-star special operator recently said at SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida—and he wasn’t the only one.