Government Matters

The latest Federal Information Security Management Act report

Suzette Kent, U.S. Chief Information Officer, and Grant Schneider, U.S. Chief Information Security Officer, discuss the latest FISMA report showing improvement in agency risk management

Updates from the Federal Acquisition Service

Julie Dunne, Commissioner of the Federal Acquisition Service at GSA, outlines how the Federal Acquisition Service is helping its customer agencies reopen

USAID’s new digital strategy

Bonnie Glick, Deputy Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, describes USAID’s new strategy for making digital technology central to its humanitarian assistance

New Thrift Savings Plan measures from the CARES Act

Kim Weaver, Director of External Affairs at the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, goes over the new withdrawal options for the Thrift Savings Plan that the CARES Act allows for

Implementing emerging technology in government

Katie Malague, Vice President of Government Effectiveness at the Partnership for Public Service, highlights best practices for introducing new and emerging technology in government agencies

Sammies finalist creates public-private partnerships

Thomas DeBass, Managing Director at the Office of Global Partnerships at the Department of State, explains how the State Department works with public and private partners to advance foreign policy

Pilot could allow government-issued mobile devices in secure areas

Steve Wallace, Systems Innovation Scientist at DISA, describes a new pilot program that would enable Defense Department employees to use government-issued mobile devices in secured places

New enterprise review of missile warnings

Todd Harrison, Director of the Aerospace Security Project at Center for Strategic & International Studies, provides updates on Space Force missile defense architecture and the organization of space-related mission areas

Planning for cuts in the defense budget over time

Eric Lofgren, Research Fellow at George Mason University, explains the “stickiness” of the defense budget and how the coronavirus is impacting it

New report on fragmentation, overlap, and duplication in government

Jessica Lucas-Judy, Director of Strategic Issues at GAO, discusses the latest GAO report on fragmentation, overlap, and duplication in the federal government and identifies areas where savings have occurred

Tracking the cyber supply chain

Katherine Gronberg, Vice President of Government Affairs at Forescout Technologies, discusses the security of the cyber supply chain and recommendations of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission that could get advanced

Building a multi-cloud security gateway

Ari Schwartz, Managing Director of Cybersecurity Services at Venable, addresses the Defense Department moving towards zero-trust security and implementing a multi-cloud security gateway

Reforming the IG system

Jim Taylor, Former Deputy Inspector General at the Department of Homeland Security, and Jon Rymer, Principal at Lynch Consultants and Former Inspector General at the Department of Defense, provide their perspectives on the firings and reassignments of inspectors general in the last two months

The National Cemetery Administration and Memorial Day

Randy Reeves, Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs at the Department of Veterans Affairs, talks about how the National Cemetery Administration has prepared to honor veterans on Memorial Day and how the coronavirus has impacted plans

The State Department’s new Center for Analytics

Janice deGarmo, Deputy Director in the Office of Management Strategy and Solutions at the Department of State, describes the new Center for Analytics at the State Department and how it is helping personnel at all levels use data to make decisions

Updates from the Board of Veterans’ Appeals during the coronavirus

Cheryl Mason, Chairman of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals, describes how the Board has held virtual hearings since having to suspend in-person hearings due to the coronavirus

The current climate for IGs in the federal government

Robert Shea, Principal at Grant Thornton Public Sector, comments on the recent pattern of firing inspectors general and how it could impact oversight

Sammies finalist identifies high-risk federal programs

Chris Mihm, Managing Director of Strategic Issues at GAO, discusses the high-risk list from the Government Accountability Office and progress organizations have made on getting off the list

New Defense Department IG plan for overseeing COVID-19 response

Leo FitzHarris, Strategy and Planning Innovations Director at the Department of Defense OIG, details the plan of the Defense Department Inspector General’s Office to examine the agency’s response to the coronavirus

Reducing reliance on China for rare earth minerals

Sharon Burke, Senior Advisor at New America, discusses the United States’ dependency on China for rare earth minerals and the need to increase production of these materials elsewhere

Using new commercial tech in government

Meagan Metzger, Founder/CEO of Dcode, talks about barriers to using commercial technology in the Defense Department and things that could help the government make better use of it

Schedules consolidation and pricing reform

Roger Waldron, President of the Coalition for Government Procurement, explains the importance of pricing reform for GSA Schedules

Preparing for long-term telework at agencies

Rich McBee, President and CEO of Riverbed Technology, discusses what government agencies need to consider to maximize remote work after the pandemic is over

CISA lists top cybersecurity vulnerabilities

Brig. Gen. Gregory Touhill, President of AppGate Federal Group, talks about the list of top cybersecurity vulnerabilities and the importance of addressing them with patching and proper configurations

The Defense Business Board and the DoD CMO

MG Arnold Punaro (USMC-ret.), CEO of The Punaro Group, covers what the Defense Business Board found and recommended regarding the Defense Department’s Chief Management Officer role

Remote work at the Defense Department after the virus

Susanna Blume, Senior Fellow and Director of the Defense Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), discusses the future of telework at the Defense Department and barriers to implementing increased telework

Approaching ties to China after the coronavirus

Ron Marks, President of ZPN Cyber and National Security Strategies, discusses the United States’ economic relationship with China and foreign policy considerations

The Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act

California Democratic Rep. Mark Takano, Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Cmte., explains what the HEROES Act would provide and how it would help workers at the VA

The creation of a new National Cyber Director role

Maine Independent Sen. Angus King and Wisconsin Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher discuss the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, their recommendation to create a National Cyber Director role, and the impact of the coronavirus on the cyber landscape