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Janet Yellen Repeats Plea for Congress to Raise Debt Ceiling
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Janet Yellen Repeats Plea for Congress to Raise Debt Ceiling

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen sent a letter to congressional leaders warning that her department could default on its obligations if Congress fails to increase or suspend the borrowing limit as early as June 1.

“The actual date Treasury exhausts extraordinary measures could be a number of days or weeks later than these estimates,” Yellen wrote in the Monday letter.

She mentioned the potential impacts on the country’s credit rating, short-term borrowing costs and consumer and business confidence if Congress fails to raise the debt ceiling.

“I continue to urge Congress to protect the full faith and credit of the United States by acting as soon as possible,” Yellen added.

A report from the Congressional Budget Office indicates that the U.S. government reached its statutory debt limit of $31.4 trillion on Jan. 19 and would not be able to pay its bills in the first two weeks of June if the debt ceiling remains unchanged.

“If the Treasury’s cash and extraordinary measures are sufficient to finance the government until June 15, expected quarterly tax receipts and additional extraordinary measures will probably allow the government to continue financing operations through at least the end of July,” the CBO report reads.

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Senators Ask DOD, State Department to Respond to Questions Over End-Use Monitoring Programs
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Senators Ask DOD, State Department to Respond to Questions Over End-Use Monitoring Programs

Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Mike Lee, R-Utah, have expressed concerns about how the departments of Defense and State track and monitor weapons systems that originated in the U.S.

The senators noted in a May 14 letter to DOD and the State Department about signs of misuse of U.S.-origin weapons in Yemen and their association with civilian casualties, Warren’s office said Monday.

In the letter, the lawmakers welcomed the creation of the Pentagon’s Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan and the administration’s release of the updated Conventional Arms Transfer policy in February.

The senators have asked federal agencies to respond by June 5 to several questions about their end-use monitoring programs.

DOD, for instance, should state the number of potential end-use violations the Defense Security Cooperation Agency has transmitted to the State Department since 2012 and the number of compliance assessment visits that have been conducted by the Golden Sentry program for U.S.-origin defense articles and services sold to the United Arab Emirates or Saudi Arabia since 2012, the senators said.

The State Department, meanwhile, should indicate the number of reports of civilian harm linked to U.S.-origin weapons that it has received since 2012 and the criteria it uses if foreign military sales should be paused, canceled or reduced after receiving reports of unauthorized use.

The lawmakers are also asking the two agencies to provide a briefing on EUM capabilities no later than June 26.

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President Biden Names NCI Director Monica Bertagnolli as Potential NIH Director Nominee
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President Biden Names NCI Director Monica Bertagnolli as Potential NIH Director Nominee

Monica Bertagnolli, director of the National Cancer Institute, has been chosen by President Joe Biden as a potential nominee to the directorship of the National Institutes of Health.

President Biden expressed his plan to nominate Bertagnolli on account of her contributions to improving cancer prevention and treatment, as well as her efforts to expand access to quality care, the White House said Monday.

Bertagnolli’s career has maintained a longstanding focus on oncology, beginning at the Strang Cancer Prevention Center where she was an associate surgeon. She was also an attending surgeon at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital–Cornell, and later chief of surgical oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

She was appointed as CEO of the nonprofit Alliance Foundation Trials, which is distinguished for its inclusion of rural communities in international cancer clinical trials.

As the first female NCI director, Bertagnolli oversaw the Cancer Moonshot program, which was revived by Biden in 2022 to improve the lives of cancer survivors and their families, and reduce the mortality rate from the illness by at least 50 percent in the next 25 years.

“Dr. Bertagnolli is a world-class physician-scientist whose vision and leadership will ensure NIH continues to be an engine of innovation to improve the health of the American people,” Biden said.

Lockheed Marks 1st HIMARS Launchers Shipment to Poland
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Lockheed Marks 1st HIMARS Launchers Shipment to Poland

Poland has received the initial shipment of Lockheed Martin-made high mobility artillery rocket system launchers from the U.S. government as part of efforts to equip the Polish armed forces with long-range precision strike capability.

Lockheed said Monday it will partner with Poland’s Armaments Agency of the Ministry of National Defense to integrate HIMARS components onto a Jelcz 6×6 purpose-built military truck under the Homar-A defense modernization program.

HIMARS is a multiple-launch rocket system that can accommodate six rockets and hit targets at a range of up to 300 km.

“The combat-proven HIMARS will provide credible deterrence against aggression and significantly increase capability of the Polish Armed Forces and their NATO allies,” said Jay Price, vice president of precision fires at Lockheed’s missiles and fires control division.

The initial delivery comes three months after the State Department approved Poland’s request to procure HIMARS launchers and related equipment under a $10 billion foreign military sales agreement.

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Senate Bill Would Provide AI Training for Federal Government Leaders
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Senate Bill Would Provide AI Training for Federal Government Leaders

Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, has introduced a bipartisan bill to train federal officials on the development and applications of artificial intelligence technologies.

The AI Leadership Training Act would direct the Office of Personnel Management to establish a training program to help federal government supervisors and management officials develop a better understanding of AI capabilities, risks and ethical implications, Peters’ office said Monday.

OPM would be required to stand up the training program not later than one year after the enactment of the legislation and update it every two years to incorporate new information on AI advancements.

“As the federal government continues to invest in and use artificial intelligence tools, decision-makers in the federal government must have the appropriate training to ensure this technology is used responsibly and ethically,” Peters said.

According to the senator, AI training would enable federal agency leaders to gain the expertise to ensure the emerging technology does discriminate or develop a bias.

The legislation addresses calls from the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence and the National AI Advisory Committee to provide additional AI training for the federal workforce.

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White House, Lawmakers Hold Talks Over AI
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White House, Lawmakers Hold Talks Over AI

The White House and Congress are having a concentrated series of discussions over artificial intelligence amid the lack of a coordinated approach when it comes to regulating AI, NBC News reported Tuesday.

Approximately 20 senators attended an AI briefing organized by Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Arati Prabhakar, head of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, on May 3 at the White House, according to Durbin’s office.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said he does not see a problem when it comes to adopting a bottom-up approach to creating AI regulations.

“I sort of see this phase as germinating ideas and coalescing around the ideas that make sense, but there doesn’t have to be a kind of, you know, top-down approach. I think, let 1,000 flowers bloom,” Blumenthal told NBC News.

The senator said the executive branch will play a role in spearheading efforts when it comes to developing AI regulations, citing the need for international cooperation.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is set to appear Tuesday before a Senate Judiciary subcommittee on privacy and technology led by Blumenthal and Josh Hawley, R-Mo., to testify about AI.

Gen. Scott Berrier, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, cited the potential benefits of generative AI to intelligence analysts, particularly in the areas of pattern analysis and clustering of concepts, according to a report by Defense One.

“It definitely can make us better, faster, stronger. We have to go carefully,” Berrier said of generative AI at an event Thursday.

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AFRL-NASA Mission Concept Program to Collaborate With 8 Universities
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AFRL-NASA Mission Concept Program to Collaborate With 8 Universities

The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory’s University Nanosatellite Program will team up with NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative to launch a new Mission Concept Program.

The organizations chose eight universities to participate in the program, which will provide hands-on space mission development and design training to students, AFRL said Friday.

UNP has partnered with more than 40 universities since it began in 1999. The collaboration between UNP and CubeSat Launch aims to overcome challenges in areas such as proposals, scheduling, and full satellite development.

The program’s trainees will be prepped for the 2024 UNP nanosatellite cycle.

Universities were selected based on their proposals’ relevance to NASA and the Department of Defense, as well as their impact on their school and in education in general. Half of the chosen schools are minority-serving institutions.

The participating organizations are:

  • Columbia University
  • Florida Institute of Technology
  • Missouri University of Science and Technology
  • New Mexico State University
  • Tarleton State University
  • University of New Mexico
  • University of South Florida
  • University of the Virgin Islands
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NIST Casts Net for Participants in Software Supply Chain & DevOps Security Practices Project
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NIST Casts Net for Participants in Software Supply Chain & DevOps Security Practices Project

The National Institute of Standards and Technology has asked organizations to submit letters of interest to participate in a project that seeks to create and document an applied risk-based approach and recommendations for software supply chain and secure DevOps practices.

The Software Supply Chain and DevOps Security Practices project is designed to help organizations maintain the volume and velocity of software delivery via a cloud-native strategy and leverage automated platforms, according to a Federal Register notice posted Monday.

The notice serves as the first step for the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence to work with technology companies through a cooperative research and development agreement to address challenges related to DevOps and software supply chain security.

The project also aims to demonstrate the use of existing and emerging secure development practices, tools and frameworks to address cybersecurity challenges.

According to the notice, letters of interest should include commercially available capabilities and components, including developer endpoints, network/infrastructure devices, services and applications, build systems, distribution/delivery platforms and production systems that host apps.

“Collaborative activities will commence as soon as enough completed and signed letters of interest have been returned to address all the necessary components and capabilities, but no earlier than June 14, 2023,” the notice reads.

Treasury Department Spearheads Publication of Domestic Content Bonus Guidance for Clean Energy Projects; Janet Yellen Quoted
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Treasury Department Spearheads Publication of Domestic Content Bonus Guidance for Clean Energy Projects; Janet Yellen Quoted

The Department of the Treasury worked with the Internal Revenue Service and other agencies to create guidelines on the domestic content bonus, an incentive for clean energy projects and facilities that are built using iron, steel and other products manufactured in the United States.

The guidance is expected to advance the Biden administration’s Investing in America agenda and is in compliance with the Inflation Reduction Act, the Treasury Department announced Friday.

Developed with the Departments of Transportation and Energy, the guidance sets a required amount of domestically manufactured products, especially steel and iron, used to construct clean energy projects and sites in order for them to qualify for the bonus. It also specifies the minimum percentage of cost that should have been spent on mining, processing and manufacturing the products and their components in the U.S.

“The domestic content bonus under the Inflation Reduction Act will boost American manufacturing, including in iron and steel, so America’s workers and companies continue to benefit from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda,” Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen commented. “These tax credits are key to driving investment and ensuring all Americans share in the growth of the clean energy economy.”

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Commerce Department Issues 1st Funding Opportunity Notice for Tech Hubs Program; Gina Raimondo Quoted
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Commerce Department Issues 1st Funding Opportunity Notice for Tech Hubs Program; Gina Raimondo Quoted

The Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration has introduced a first-of-its-kind funding opportunity for the establishment of technological innovation centers in previously overlooked regions.

The agency on Friday launched a notice of funding opportunity for the Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs competition, which is applicable to projects designated as a tech hub.

The Tech Hubs statute enumerates 10 key focus areas, including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, data storage, robotics, semiconductors, disaster prevention, biotechnology, advanced communications, nuclear technologies and materials sciences.

Applicants will be chosen based on the potential of their focus area to be cultivated in their specified region, and for the hub to become globally competitive within 10 years.

Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said that the Tech Hubs program will help “create ecosystems of innovation to strengthen economic opportunity” in communities that have been left behind in technological advancement. “We’re going to do that by supercharging our existing innovation foundations, bringing together our premier research institutions with world class companies to create good-paying jobs in these communities, and ensuring the technological advances that define the next century are made in communities across America,” she explained.

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