
Today, MeriTalk launches MeriTV, a new platform delivering news and commentary on today’s mission-critical government IT challenges.
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Resilient Government Hinges on Tech, Cyber, Workforce Investments, Fed Leaders Say
The Federal government’s hard-won experience in employing technology to help bridge the COVID-19 crisis points to the pressing need for more investments in the latest tech, top-notch security, workforce advancement, and a renewed culture of innovation aimed at improving how government serves citizens across the board.
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Beware of an Imposter Website Posing as FTC
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) posted an alert warning that a “US Trading Commission” website is a scam and not associated with the FTC.
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Reps. Connolly, Maloney Stump for Quick Action on $9 Billion TMF Boost
A group of eight House Democrats is pushing House leadership to include in the next round of COVID-19 relief legislation the $9 billion boost to the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) proposed by President Biden earlier this month.
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IRS Appoints Corbin First-Ever Chief Taxpayer Experience Officer
The IRS announced Ken Corbin will serve as the chief taxpayer experience officer, a new role created to help unify and expand agency efforts aimed at improving customer experience.
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Rep. Kelly, Fed Experts Weigh Telehealth Benefits, Challenges
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the increased adoption of telehealth services, but that positive development for technology-delivered services comes with both benefits and community equity challenges, Federal leaders said this week.

The past year has shown the vital importance of IT to government service delivery. As we’ve all seen, interruptions/outages have real world impact on government efficiency and – importantly, on citizens’ lives.
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HHS Unveils AI Strategy, Establishes AI Council
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has developed an AI strategy to enable AI fluency and adoption across the enterprise. The strategy also establishes an AI Council to oversee the agency’s AI implementation efforts.
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VA Medical Center Searches for Cloud-Based Text Messaging Solution
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is seeking a solution to provide unlimited cloud-based SMS messaging for patients, staff, and family members for the Hershel Woody Williams VA Medical Center in West Virginia.
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DeRusha Tapped to Become Next Federal CISO
Chris DeRusha, who headed information security efforts for the Biden-Harris campaign last year, will become the Federal government’s next chief information security officer, Federal government security officials said today.
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Biden’s ‘Buy American’ EO May End up Extending to IT Gear
President Biden’s Jan. 25 executive order to direct more of the Federal government’s spending to the benefit of American businesses has a larger focus on commodity and non-tech goods, but may end up extending to commercially available IT products.
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DoD: CMMC RFPs Releasing Starting in Mid-March
While the Department of Defense (DoD) is still adjudicating comments on its latest Cyber Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) guidelines, Katie Arrington, CISO for the department of Acquisition at DoD, said the department would be ready to release its first Request for Proposal (RFP) by mid-March.
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Biden Administration Announces a Slew of OPM Appointments
The White House announced several political appointees to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) today, including a few tech-focused staffers.
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FTC Names Petrizzi Acting Head of Competition Bureau
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has named Maribeth Petrizzi as the acting head of the commission’s Bureau of Competition, Politico reported Jan. 25. Petrizzi will now be the lead on enforcing the nation’s antitrust laws.
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Biden Nominates DuBester as Chairman of FLRA
President Joe Biden designated Ernest DuBester to serve as Chairman of the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA).
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GSA Names Sawislak, Garmendia Senior Advisors for COVID Response, Executive Actions
The General Services Administration (GSA) has appointed Josh Sawislak as Senior Advisor to the agency Administrator focused on implementing executive actions. GSA also named Zoe Garmendia Senior Advisor to the Administrator on COVID.
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CISA Seeks Solution for Incident Management Work Tracking System
The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is looking to obtain information from industry on providing a secure work management tracking system to better secure the Federal IT enterprise.
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OMB Targets Telework at 75 Percent During ‘High’ Virus Conditions
The Office of Management and Budget told Federal agencies in a Jan. 24 memo that Federal workplaces should run at no more than 25 percent of occupancy while the coronavirus is running at high rates.
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US Holds Lead in Global AI Race, China Closing In
The United States is leading the world in the development and use of AI with China close behind, according to a new report.
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Democratic Senators Press DoJ, Courts for More Info About SolarWinds Hack
Nine Democratic senators are pressing the Department of Justice (DoJ) and the U.S. Courts for a briefing and information about exactly what data was compromised by the SolarWinds hack in a letter to the departments.
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DHS, DOJ Must Process “Fear Claims” Data Faster
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) have implemented Fear Screening Pilot Programs for noncitizens, and while they’ve processed claims faster, the agencies need to process the data for these claims faster.