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.
Trump AI Plan and Orders Aim to Deregulate, Police Bias and Compete Globally
Last week, President Donald Trump released his much-anticipated AI Action Plan and signed three corresponding executive orders Wednesday, centering efforts on competition with foreign adversaries like China and outlining dozens of actions for the federal government, according to FedScoop.
NIST Needs ‘To Go Back to Basics’ on Standards for AI, Not Safety Evaluation
The director of the White House’s science and technology arm indicated interest in seeing the National Institute of Standards and Technology focus more on standards for AI and less on model safety evaluation, according to FedScoop.
House VA Committee Advances Multiple Bills Focused on Agency Modernization
Last week, the House Veterans Affairs Committee advanced a series of bills aimed at modernizing technology at the VA, which included the Veterans Affairs Distributed Ledger Innovation Act, according to FedScoop.
Energy Announces First 4 AI Data Center Sites on Federal Lands
Last week, the Department of Energy announced the federal lands it will use to host new data centers outfitted for artificial intelligence computing needs, selecting four facilities, including two national labs, according to NextGov.
Trump’s CISA Nominee is Confident He Can Get Funding to Cyber Agency Where Needed
Sean Plankey, President Donald Trump’s pick to head the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, told lawmakers last week that, despite the significant cuts CISA has experienced in recent months, he can get the funding it needs to protect the American public, according to NextGov.
Basic Cybersecurity Lapses Are Leaving US Infrastructure Exposed, Top Experts Warn
Foreign adversaries are becoming more aggressive than ever before in efforts to target U.S. critical infrastructure, but owners and operators are still failing to meet basic security needs for their systems, a panel of former national security officials and leading executives recently warned, according to NextGov.
