FCW Insider: Jan. 24

Peter Ranks, the Defense Department's deputy CIO for information enterprise, previewed plans to unveil a security focused companion document to its enterprise DevSecOps reference design. Lauren C. Williams explains.

Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) and Bobby Scott (D-Va.) are concerned about a planned Equal Employment Opportunity Commission rule that would limit union representation at proceedings. Lia Russell has more on their letter to the EECO chief.

Steve Kelman notes growing support for strategic planning efforts -- and the steps agencies take to keep those plans relevant. But how can federal executives keep their plans from being filed and forgotten?

To support growing demand for automation technologies, ACT-IAC released an AI playbook for government agencies. Lia takes a look at the playbook and automation projects that are already showing results at Treasury and the General Services Administration.

As contract negotiations play out at the Environmental Protection Agency, the American Federation of Government Employees is looking to address what it calls "attacks on science." Lia reports.

Quick Hits

*** The Department of Agriculture is asking the Federal Labor Relations Authority to issue a general statement that would allow agency heads to review the legality of any expiring collective bargaining agreement between unions and their employers that remained in effect during new contract negotiations. The proposed rule first appeared on FederalRegister.gov on Jan. 23, and will ask for comments until Feb. 24. The American Federation of Government Employees issued a statement opposing the request and stating that the union does not, "support any attempt by USDA to evade its legal and contractual obligations."

*** Defending Digital Campaigns, a non-profit group formed last year to provide free or low-cost cybersecurity services to political campaigns, announced it has added products and services from 10 more companies. Vendors include Microsoft, Cloudflare, Yubico and others.

*** A bipartisan group of lawmakers led by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) is proposing legislation to put new limits on the collection of records under the Patriot Act and by courts authorized by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The Safeguarding Americans' Private Records Act includes a ban on the collection of cell site data without a warrant and limits the use of data collected under Section 215 of the Patriot Act to counterterrorism and espionage cases.