ExecutiveGovâs round-up of news you need to read to stay up to speed on federal policy impacting the government-contracting community.
Kundra at the Whiteboard
Hot on the heels of a less-than-favorable Government Accountability Office report on the IT Dashboard, federal CIO Vivek Kundra, who has championed the online tool to track federal IT investments, is playing professor to set the record straight.
Kundra took a spot at the White House Whiteboard to explain how the site has helped keep projects accountable.
Click here to watch the video.
Continuing Resolutions Keep Coming
The Senate approved yet another continuing resolution yesterday, which keeps the government up and running until April 8, as Congress faces the upcoming specter of yet more incremental spending — and cuts.
The CR the Senate approved — the second one this month and the third of the year — has already been approved by the House and is expected to be signed into law today, The Washington Post reported.
The bill cuts $6 billion from federal spending. Congress is already gearing up for the next round of wrangling over spending, as long-term fixes look increasingly unlikely.
Click here for the full story.
The Spies are All Right
Director of National Intelligence Gen. James Clapper got into hot water with comments about the staying power of Libyan dictator Muammar Qadhafi.
But Paul R. Pillar at Foreign Policy writes that the uproar âonly highlights the absurd expectations heaped on the intelligence community during the recent Arab uprisings.â
The nationâs top spooks are in a âno-winâ situation, he writes. Intel officials risk outrage if theyâre too frank, but their normal tight-lipped stance is also sure to cause resentment on the Hill.
Click here to read the full article.
Search is on for New FBI Director
A different atmosphere greeted FBI Director Robert Mueller, who is nearing the end of his term, in an appearance on Capitol Hill this week — with âmuch of the standard verbal combat replaced by accolades from Republicans and Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee,â CBS News reported.
The search for Muellerâs replacement is on.
Head of the TSA John Pistoleâs name is in the mix, as well as a number of law enforcement luminaries.
DoD to Cut 200 SES Positions
As part of his far-reaching efficiency initiatives, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has introduced a plan to cut about 200 Senior Executive Service positions — the top executives of the Pentagonâs civilian workforce — over the next two years, Federal Times reports.
“Every effort will be made to retain key talent in the Department and minimize impact to personnel and the mission,” Gates said in the memo announcing the move.
Click here for the full story.
Hawaii to Get Statewide CIO
The GovMonitor reports the youngest state, Hawaii, is making a bid to become more tech savvy. Gov. Neil Abercrombie introduced a spate of tech proposals, including a statewide Office of Information Management and Technology and the stateâs first-ever chief information officer.