The Fed Mission Success Round Up: Boost to IT Spending, TSA’s New Directive, Colonial Pipeline’s Cyberattack, and Civic Innovation

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June 1, 2021

Welcome to the Fed Mission Success News Round Up brought to you by Makpar. Each week, we will provide a summary of actionable news and insights to help aid in overall mission success for Federal agency IT decision-makers and influencers.

Biden Budget Boosts Federal IT Spending

President Joe Biden wants to continue the annual upward trajectory of Federal IT spending, requesting $58.4 billion specifically for agency-level technology improvements and maintenance in the first full budget proposal of the new administration.

Pipeline Companies Have One Week to Identify Cybersecurity Coordinators Under TSA Directive

The directive now mandates incident reporting and reviews described in the administration’s voluntary guidelines for the sector.

Colonial Pipeline Forked Over $4.4M to End Cyberattack – But Is Paying a Ransom Ever the Ethical Thing to Do?

It took little over two hours for hackers to gain control of more than 100 gigabytes of information from Colonial Pipeline on May 7, 2021 – causing the firm to shut down its fuel distribution network and sparking widespread fears of a gasoline shortage. The decision to pay off the attackers was also made with apparent speed, but the ethical arguments involved are age old and the implications could reverberate well into the future.

Democrats Introduce Legislation Prohibiting Algorithmic Discrimination

There’s a growing push among Democrats in Congress to ensure social networks and other websites aren’t promoting discrimination.

Biden's Got the Right Idea with the Wrong Funding For the IRS

The Biden team’s proposed $80 billion increase over the next decade represents a more than 60 percent increase in the IRS's budget. While the IRS requires a significant, sustained investment in its technology, taxpayer services and enforcement resources, the proposed increase is more than it has the capacity to expend prudently and that it may create dangerous incentives.

Good Data Is Essential in the Fight Against Housing Insecurity

During the 2021 Code for America Summit earlier this month, experts discussed lessons they have learned using data to guide resource allocation and intervention efforts while combating housing insecurity.

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The Fed Mission Success Round Up: Regulating Digital Currency, Unemployment Aid and Technology, Fiscal Year 2022 Budget, Data Optimization, and Innovation in Health IT and Cybersecurity

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The Fed Mission Success Round Up: IT Modernization, New Federal Contracts and Cybersecurity Roles, Gender and Racial Equity in Federal Policies