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.
AI Moratorium Could Return Despite Removal from ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’
Senators passed an amendment removing the provision that would have prevented states regulating the tech for 10 years. But some experts warn that a repeat effort is likely and could be successful, according to NextGov.
IRS Criminal Division Can Better Manage Seized Digital Assets, Watchdog Finds
The IRS Criminal Investigation division needs to tighten up its management of seized digital assets, a new watchdog report warned, especially as legal proceedings involving those virtual currencies play out, according to FedScoop.
EPA IT Chief’s Warning: AI Can’t Be Used ‘To Solve Any Problem’
Carter Farmer, who took over as the EPA’s CIO in May, said organizations need to be better at “asking the right questions first” before immediately pursuing potential AI solutions, according to FedScoop.
FAR Overhaul Targets Risk-Averse Acquisition Culture
The federal government’s most ambitious acquisition reform in more than three decades requires fundamental changes to how contracting officers think about risk and is not just about rewriting regulations, according to NextGov.
Tech Upgrades at State Passport Centers Fueled Customer Service Turnaround, GAO Says
According to the GAO, the National Passport Information Center weathered a surge in demand for services in the years following the pandemic, going from a 55% customer service satisfaction score in fiscal year 2023 to a 70% rate in 2024, as highlighted by FedScoop.
Rep. Mace Reintroduces Bill to Modernize VA With Blockchain Technology
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., is renewing her push for the Department of Veterans Affairs to embrace blockchain-like technology and improve what she described as the agency’s “outdated” systems, according to FedScoop.
A Bold New Program Tries to Make Medicines at the Point of Care
One lesson from the global pandemic was that pharmaceutical supplies chains are international, complicated, and slow to respond in crisis, and a new government program is aiming to use only domestic products to make medicines at the point of care, according to Federal News Network.
