Defense
From Nextgov.com: VA rolls out ‘smart home’ project to rehabilitate brain injury patients
Florida hospital uses technology to help veterans relearn basic but important tasks such as doing the laundry and shaving.
Oversight
Independents’ Day
The tax deal is just the kind of compromise that independents wish Washington would do more often.
Defense
Defense Logistics Agency relieves key commander
Air Force Brig. Gen. Scott Chambers oversaw troop support contracts worth $14.5 billion.
Oversight
From Nextgov.com: Aftermath of WikiLeaks flap underscores vulnerabilities of the cloud
Denial-of-service attacks show the risks to operations when agencies rely on third parties to host IT services, say cybersecurity experts.
Oversight
GSA aims to make agency websites more user-friendly
Program uses inexpensive testing methods to identify the most serious problems with federal sites.
Defense
Navy delays Littoral Combat Ship contract award
Original Dec. 14 deadline has been extended to Dec. 30 to give Congress more time to consider plans to award 10 ships apiece to two contractors.
Oversight
Energy secretary shoots down rumors that he plans to leave
Steven Chu says he will stick around as long as President Obama wants him.
Oversight
Senate passes bill to reform Census Bureau
Measure would make the director’s position a five-year presidentially appointed term beginning in 2012.
Oversight
From Nextgov.com: White House details sweeping changes to federal computing
The 40-page strategy directs agency IT leaders to follow a ‘cloud first’ policy and evaluate the practicality of leasing access to Web-based equipment before buying new hardware or software.
Oversight
Agencies’ recruitment efforts show promise
Strategies for hiring veterans, disabled workers and other candidates are improving, report finds.
Defense
Senate Dems lose vote on 'don't ask' repeal
Democrats fail to overcome a Republican filibuster of the 2011 defense authorization bill that included a provision repealing the 1993 law.
Oversight
From Nextgov.com: USDA moves to the cloud
Agency plans to move 120,000 users to cloud-based messaging system.
Defense
Northrop sees rising demand for Global Hawks
The company is working closely with Air Force officials on addressing the concerns of Pentagon and Air Force acquisition executives over the growing cost of the program.
Oversight
Viewpoint: Happy Birthday, Open Government Directive
The Obama administration has created an infrastructure that puts agencies on a path to proactively involving citizens in federal decision making.
Oversight
California Republican wins chairmanship of House oversight panel
Rep. Darrell Issa has served as the committee’s ranking member for two years and plans to put the Obama administration under the microscope.
Oversight
Spending bill freezes agency budgets, employee pay
House lawmakers push measure forward as Senate continues to work on its version.
Oversight
From Nextgov.com: GAO says plan to replace air traffic control system lacks performance metrics
Without specific goals for NextGen, FAA risks failure , watchdog warns.
Oversight
Subcontractor, subgrantee data now available to the public
After nearly two years of delays, USASpending.gov opens a window to new levels of detail on government payments.
Oversight
Pay-Freeze Politics
Does Obama’s proposal to freeze federal pay signal a real change in direction or is just an idle gesture?
Oversight