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Senate Panel Approves FY 2025 Defense Authorization Bill
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Senate Panel Approves FY 2025 Defense Authorization Bill

The Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday passed the fiscal year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act in a 22-3 vote.

SASC said Friday the NDAA, which is now headed to the upper chamber’s floor for consideration, would authorize $878.4 billion for the Department of Defense and $33.4 billion for national security programs within the Department of Energy.

The proposed legislation would require a strategy for countering drone technologies; direct a pilot program to optimize artificial intelligence-enabled software for the operations of DOD depots, manufacturing facilities and shipyards; and require the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to establish a Quantum Scaling Initiative to rapidly expand and support the development of quantum computing capabilities for DOD.

The bill would further develop U.S. combat power by authorizing an additional $1.43 billion for a third DDG Arleigh Burke-class destroyer; supporting the construction of a second Virginia-class submarine in fiscal year 2025; and requiring the development of a national integrated air and missile defense architecture.

The NDAA, which would authorize a 4.5 percent salary increase for servicemembers, has a total national defense topline of $923.3 billion.

Brig. Gen. William Rogers Assumes Air Force PEO for ICBM Role
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Brig. Gen. William Rogers Assumes Air Force PEO for ICBM Role

Brig. Gen. William Rogers, formerly program executive officer for bombers at the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, has assumed the newly created PEO role for intercontinental ballistic missiles at the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center.

In his new role, Rogers will oversee integrated weapons system management of the Sentinel and Minuteman III ICBMs from their inception to retirement, Air Force Materiel Command said Tuesday.

The creation of the new PEO role is part of the changes to several PEO positions across the Department of the Air Force to reoptimize for great power competition.

“We will provide our nation with strong strategic deterrence through sustainment and modernization of the land-based leg of the nuclear triad,” Rogers said.

The Air Force also transitioned the duties of Maj. Gen. John Newberry, AFNWC commander, from PEO for strategic systems to PEO for nuclear air delivered systems and nuclear integration.

Newberry will manage life cycle activities for air-delivered nuclear weapons and oversee nuclear materiel management across the Department of the Air Force.

“The consequence of failure in our nuclear mission is immeasurably higher than in any other mission set in the Department of Defense,” Newberry said.

Biden Administration Establishes Council Tasked With Ensuring Resilience of US Supply Chains
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Biden Administration Establishes Council Tasked With Ensuring Resilience of US Supply Chains

The Biden administration has issued an executive order calling for the establishment of the White House Council on Supply Chain Resilience.

To be led by the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, the council will work to promote and coordinate efforts by the federal government to bolster U.S. industrial competitiveness, strengthen supply chain resilience and help agencies engage in collaboration with international partners to achieve the same, as well as address supply chain insecurities, the White House said Friday.

As part of its responsibilities, the council has been tasked to conduct a review of the supply chains of industries considered critical to national or economic security. The council will have to file a report about its findings by Dec. 31 at the latest and offer recommendations when appropriate.

The review will subsequently have to be conducted and the accompanying report submitted every four years thereafter.

Member agencies and offices will also have to designate within 30 days of the EO’s issuance officials who will be responsible for coordinating with the council.

The council is expected to meet twice a year.

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MDA Performs Maiden Flight of Hypersonic Test Bed; Lt. Gen. Heath Collins Quoted
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MDA Performs Maiden Flight of Hypersonic Test Bed; Lt. Gen. Heath Collins Quoted

The Missile Defense Agency and its partners carried out the initial flight of a testbed designed to provide a common platform for conducting hypersonic experiments.

MDA Director Lt. Gen. Heath Collins said in a statement published Friday the Hypersonic Test Bed-1 represents a key step in advancing a hypersonic testing capability.

“HTB will allow the U.S. to pursue a broad range of state of the art technologies able to operate reliably in hypersonic flight environments,” added Collins, a 2024 Wash100 awardee.

MDA noted that the HTB-1 test provided the agency with a viewing opportunity for its Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor, which gathered data after launch based on initial reports.

The agency will continue to evaluate flight data over the next several weeks.

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CFTC Commissioner Christy Goldsmith Romero Nominated to Take Over as Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Chair
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CFTC Commissioner Christy Goldsmith Romero Nominated to Take Over as Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Chair

President Joe Biden has nominated Christy Goldsmith Romero of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission to succeed Martin Gruenberg as chair of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Goldsmith Romero has served as a CFTC commissioner since 2022, where she oversaw various CFTC-registered entities like banks and brokers and sponsored the CFTC Technology Advisory Committee, which tackled emerging technologies as well as cybersecurity, the White House said Thursday.

Before becoming part of the CFTC, Goldsmith Romero worked at the Department of the Treasury, where, from 2011 through 2022, she served as special inspector general for the Troubled Asset Relief Program. In that capacity, she helped develop an ability to uncover bank fraud, led numerous investigations and served on an inspectors general council that oversaw the Financial Stability Oversight Council.

Commenting on the nomination, Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Chairman Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, described Goldsmith Romero as “a strong, independent, and fair regulator who is not afraid to do what’s right” who, if confirmed, would “bring to the FDIC decades of financial services experience.”

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Patricia Obermaier Appointed to ASGN Board of Directors
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Patricia Obermaier Appointed to ASGN Board of Directors

Microsoft executive Patricia Obermaier has joined the board of directors at ASGN Incorporated.

She began advising the board in January and will now become a member of its strategy and technology committee, ASGN announced from Richmond, Virginia on Thursday.

“Patty brings a wealth of experience and insight from being a leader at one of the world’s largest technology companies,” said ASGN CEO Ted Hanson.

Her “strategic vision and operational expertise,” he continued, will be “invaluable” in the company’s work to expand its consulting business.

At Microsoft, Obermaier serves as chief growth officer and vice president of strategic initiatives for the company’s global health life sciences arm, a business unit valued at $12 billion. Her responsibilities in this position encompass the discovery of new opportunities and leveraging commercial resources to increase market share for the division.

Before coming to Microsoft, she was founder and CEO of Resigility, a firm that offers strategic advisory and information management services for public and private sector customers.

Commenting on her appointment, Obermaier said she is “delighted” to join ASGN’s board “at such a pivotal time in the company’s evolution.”

She emphasized the organization’s “strong track record” of service delivery to both government and industry clients and expressed her excitement to work “closely with my fellow directors to position ASGN for continued success.”

Along with Obermaier’s addition, ASGN also announced the retirement of Mariel Joliet, who was director of the board for nearly eight years.

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Kristina Walter Appointed Director of NSA Cybersecurity Collaboration Center
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Kristina Walter Appointed Director of NSA Cybersecurity Collaboration Center

Kristina Walter, formerly director of the National Security Agency’s Future Ready Workforce Initiative, has been named director of NSA’s Cybersecurity Collaboration Center, a.k.a. CCC.

Walter’s appointment marks her return to the center, having previously served as a strategist for the CCC and chief of defense industrial base cybersecurity responsible for shaping cyber standards for the sector, the NSA said Thursday.

She held various leadership roles during her over 15-year career at NSA including as executive assistant to the director of the Business Management and Integration Directorate.

Gen. Timothy Haugh, commander of U.S. Cyber Command and director of the NSA, said Walter’s recent work as head of the Future Ready Workforce Initiative highlights her commitment to advancing the agency’s workforce, which will support the CCC’s future-focused mission.

“I look forward to working with her on this important collaborative endeavor to help safeguard the Nation against malicious cyber activity,” the 2024 Wash100 awardee said.

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Army, Allied Forces Create Common Operating Picture Based on Zero Trust Principles
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Army, Allied Forces Create Common Operating Picture Based on Zero Trust Principles

The U.S. Army’s I Corps and its allied forces have demonstrated secure information sharing via a single architecture based on zero trust principles during a Yama Sakura 85 multilateral command post exercise, creating a common operating picture for allied leaders at the tactical edge, Federal News Network reported Thursday.

“Our goal here was to establish one common operating picture and the ability to voice video chat, and share specific information,” said Col. Rett Burroughs, the chief information officer and G6 for the Army’s I Corps.

“The application of this proved critical in the ability for staff to make informed recommendations, and for commanders to make informed decisions,” he added.

Burroughs said that building a network architecture based on zero trust principles benefits not only those operating at the tactical edge but also Army commanders in garrisons or commands who coordinate with outside organizations, including local first responders.

“Now we don’t have to have these disparate networks that do not talk to each other because of classification and policy, which you clearly went through during the Katrina catastrophe,” he said.

John Sahlin, vice president of cyber solutions for General Dynamics‘ information technology division, said the shared network approach could help agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

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GSA Updates Multiple Award Schedule to Facilitate Upfront Payments for Software Licenses; Tom Howder Quoted
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GSA Updates Multiple Award Schedule to Facilitate Upfront Payments for Software Licenses; Tom Howder Quoted

The General Services Administration will now allow upfront payments for federal agencies buying software licenses delivered as Software-as-a-Service as part of an update to the Multiple Award Schedule.

GSA said Thursday the MAS update could encourage more small business resellers to offer software licenses delivered as SaaS and provide more flexibility for agencies that use MAS for software procurement.

“By giving the option of one invoice on a purchase that’s immediately delivered, we’re eliminating another administrative burden for our vendor and agency partners. This is a major milestone that reflects our strong commitment to helping agencies save money, advance their mission, and support small business at the same time,” said Tom Howder, acting commissioner of the Federal Acquisition Service at GSA.

“Modernizing our approach to payment methods will reduce barriers and help agencies as they enhance and improve their IT operations in service of American taxpayers,” Howder added.

GSA said research and collected insights from agency buyers and sellers informed the MAS update, which applies to software licenses delivered as SaaS through the Information Technology Category special item numbers.

“This change means agencies can take advantage of paying upfront, and it will allow more small businesses to enter the government cloud market. We appreciate our industry partners and will maintain dialogue on cloud pricing best practices moving forward,” stated Laura Stanton, assistant commissioner of GSA’s IT Category.

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Bipartisan Senate Bill Seeks to Improve Access of Small Businesses to AI Tools, Training
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Bipartisan Senate Bill Seeks to Improve Access of Small Businesses to AI Tools, Training

Sens. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and Jerry Moran, R-Kan., have proposed a bipartisan bill that would authorize the Department of Commerce to work with the Small Business Administration to develop and distribute artificial intelligence training resources and tools for small enterprises.

The Small Business Artificial Intelligence Training and Toolkit Act of 2024 proposes training on AI and other emerging technologies to help small companies improve financial management, business planning, accounting, supply chain management, exporting and government contracting.

“Small businesses are the foundation of the U.S. economy, making up 99 percent of all businesses,” Cantwell said in a statement published Tuesday.

“They drive economic growth and innovation. It is essential that all American entrepreneurs – especially our small businesses – have access to AI training and reskilling in the 21st-century marketplace. This bill gives small businesses a boost with new tools to thrive as we step into this innovative era,” added Cantwell, chair of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.

The bill would authorize the Secretary of Commerce to establish a grant program for organizations offering AI training developed through the measure and update AI toolkits and training materials at least every two years.

The measure would also direct AI training for small entities in rural and tribal communities and those involved in advanced manufacturing.

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