FCW Insider: November 30, 2021

The latest news and analysis from FCW's reporters and editors.

CISA mulls plan to safeguard federal civilian email

According to contracting documents, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is looking to take a leading role in identifying and defending against threats against federal civilian executive branch email systems and networks.

Military service principal cyber advisors take root

Congress established service level principal cyber advisors in the 2020 defense policy bill. FCW sat down with the Army and Navy PCAs to get a sense of what their priorities have been in the past year.

White House asks agencies to delay consequences for vaccine mandate violations

Agencies have the power to decide how to discipline unvaccinated feds, but the White House is encouraging them to go beyond education, counseling and letters of reprimand until after the holidays.

Quick Hits

*** With federal government funding set to expire on Friday, House Democrats are expected to pass a short-term continuing resolution to extend into late January, according to multiple Capitol Hill press reports. Some Republicans have sought a continuing resolution lasting until March or even a full-year stopgap funding measure. The current bill funding the federal government was passed ahead of the close of fiscal year 2021.

*** Senate Republicans blocked a procedural vote to advance the fiscal year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act. GOP lawmakers want to hold more floor votes on Republican-backed amendments to the must-past defense policy bill.

“In any other time in history, what we offered Republicans would be considered a very fair and generous compromise,” Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor on Monday. “But just because a few Republicans didn’t get every single concession they insisted on, they are now halting the process.”