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SBA’s Navigator Program Offering Grants up to $5M for Governments
The Small Business Administration will provide a total of $100 million to eligible organizations, including state and local governments, to assist underserved businesses.
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State and Local Officials Push Back Against Calls to Redirect Federal Aid
Republican lawmakers and others have suggested that money from coronavirus relief measures could be shifted to pay for infrastructure.
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Biden Budget Boosts Federal IT Spending
The request would add another $500 million to the Technology Modernization Fund.
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GOP Senators Raise Infrastructure Counteroffer to $928B
Republicans and the White House are still far apart on the size of the package. And there are few signs of agreement on how to pay for it, with GOP lawmakers looking to repurpose Covid funding.
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Pipeline Companies Have One Week to Identify Cybersecurity Coordinators Under TSA Directive
The directive now mandates incident reporting and reviews described in the administration’s voluntary guidelines for the sector.
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Bipartisan, $304B Roads Bill Clears Senate Committee
Lawmakers in both parties are framing the legislation as a potential step toward a broader infrastructure deal. A new, $1 billion program for bike and pedestrian projects was added to the bill during a markup.
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Legislation Would Expand IG Subpoena Power
The bill would allow inspectors general to compel former federal officials to provide testimony for investigations.
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Air Force’s JADC2 Contribution Shifting to Operational Status
The Advanced Battle Management System is ready for real-world testing, the service announced.
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What Bike and Pedestrian Advocates Say is Missing From the Senate Roads Bill
The $304 billion draft legislation includes policies they wanted, but a major new grant program was left out and one group sees deeper flaws. Amendments are set to be considered this week.
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GAO to Explore the Government’s Role in Cybersecurity Insurance
The Treasury Department runs a program to insure the insurers, but there’s a limit to the backstop.
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IRS Wants Tools for Cracking Crypto Wallets
The agency’s Digital Forensics Unit wants to “tame the cybersecurity research into measured, repeatable, consistent digital forensics processes.”
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White House Advisers Consider Workforce Requirements for Critical Infrastructure Providers
The National Security Council asked the private-sector led National Infrastructure Advisory Council to focus a critical-infrastructure workforce study on cybersecurity and to speed delivery of its recommendations.
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CISA Official Promotes an Emerging Cybersecurity Role in Wake of New Executive Order
Move over CISOs, it may be time to make room for chief product security officers.
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Questions Loom for States, Localities About How to Spend Billions in Covid Relief Funds
Federal and policy experts told city officials Thursday that governments that lost revenue during the pandemic have greater flexibility for using the American Rescue Plan money.
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The States and Cities With the Strongest and Weakest Levels of Capital Investment
A new data tool offers a detailed look at how real estate and business loans and other investments vary widely across the country and sheds light on the inequities poorer and minority neighborhoods face.
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Committee Moves Cabinet-level OSTP Director Nominee to Full Senate
The Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee voted to report Eric Lander’s nomination favorably, though Republican members were split.
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DHS Plans Next Rally to Advance Facial Recognition Tech
Modern systems are getting good at verifying people who are wearing face masks—and DHS wants to make them better.
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Cities, States Providing Legal Aid to Stave off Post-Covid Evictions
Louisville, Kentucky became the latest city to pass a right to counsel law that will guarantee legal representation for low-income renters. At least 11 states are considering similar measures.
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Federal CIO Says New IT Modernization Plan In the Works
The Biden administration will outline exactly what it “stands for” when it comes to IT delivery in government, Federal CIO Clare Martorana said.
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