Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced yesterday the Senate had unanimously confirmed Sherry Glied as assistant secretary for planning and evaluation and Jim Esquea as assistant secretary for legislation. Glied brings extensive experience in a number of health-policy fields, particularly healthcare financing and mental-health policy research, and is one of the [...]

Yesterday marked the 20th anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope, one of NASA’s greatest achievements to date. It is also the same date NASA announced its attempt to delay the final two scheduled space shuttle flights, the shuttles Discovery and Endeavour. This move would result in their liftoffs to be pushed into 2011 instead of [...]

The Department of Justice has joined forces with other government departments and agencies as part of the Obama administration’s effort to combat theft of intellectual property, Attorney General Eric Holder announced yesterday. Together with administration officials, DOJ has developed key aspects of the first-ever Joint Strategic Plan on Intellectual Property Enforcement, which aims to protect [...]

The Senate confirmed Marie Collins Johns to be deputy administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration. Sen. Mary Landrieu called Johns an up-and-coming “invaluable asset to the SBA,” and expressed her excitement regarding the SBA’s leadership team that is now set in place. “We are hopeful the agency will be empowered to play an important [...]

Monday did not only mark the beginning of the summer but it also introduced the Wireless World Travel Week, kicking off a busy season for Americans who travel internationally. To help globetrotting consumers save money, the Federal Communications Commission is using the Wireless World Travel Week to offer tips on how to reduce costs of  [...]

NASA’s Office of the Chief Technologist will host an industry forum July 13 to 14 to discuss the agency’s proposed new space-technology investments and announce three new Centennial Challenges prize competitions. During a media briefing July 13, NASA officials will talk about the importance of innovation and technology to agency exploration plans, review the planning [...]

The U.S. Navy is concerned about how climate change with rising sea levels could impact national security and military operations in the future, according to a senior Navy official. “We want to basically pace the threat,” said Navy Rear Adm. David W. Titley, who serves as director of the Navy’s Task Force Climate Change. “We [...]

Chief of Staff for the U.S. Federal Communications Commission Edward Lazarus yesterday held meetings with large broadband providers to come to an agreement on the changes in regulation of broadband Internet. The meetings are part of the FCC’s attempt to regain authority over the regulation of the Internet without installing new regulations. It is the [...]

Have any ideas on how to move the government into the 21st century? Then federal Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra wants to hear from you. Chaired by Chopra and Sam Karp, the HIT Policy Committee’s Enrollment Workgroup is asking the public for help with information on how to transition the government into the 21st century. [...]

According to Pentagon officials, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has recommended Gen. James Amos to serve as the next commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps. The career aviator would succeed Gen. James Conway, who plans to retire in the fall. Gates also recommended Lt. Gen. Joseph Dunford as replacement for Amos’ current role as assistant [...]