A $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill released by Senate Appropriations Committee leaders Tuesday morning calls for a 10 percent increase in fiscal year 2023 defense spending to $858 billion from fiscal 2022 figures.

The package — which combines 12 pieces of legislation — would allocate $772.5 billion for non-defense discretionary programs, $40.6 billion for disaster relief efforts nationwide and another $44.9 billion for U.S. emergency assistance to Ukraine, according to a bill summary from Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.

“Passing this bipartisan, bicameral, omnibus appropriations bill is undoubtedly in the interest of the American people. It is the product of months of hard work and compromise,” said Leahy, who serves as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Committee Vice Chairman Richard Shelby, R-Ala., noted the package meets the spending level set by the National Defense Authorization Act, which received final approval from Congress Thursday and offers $76 billion more than the prior-year funding level.

As part of the defense bill, legislators proposed a 4.6 percent pay raise for service members and civilian employees at the Pentagon.

Congress is aiming to vote on the omnibus before the current short-term measure to extend government funding expires at midnight Friday.

A task force appointed by U.S. Government Publishing Office Director Hugh Nathanial Halpern has recommended the transition of the Federal Depository Library Program to a digital environment.

In a report released Monday, the task force affirmed the feasibility of digitization but clarified that libraries will still have print versions of the published materials as part of the National Collection. 

“This is a critical issue for the public, our library partners, and GPO, and the Task Force has delivered a serious and thorough report. I am looking at the Task Force’s recommendations and will provide feedback in the early part of 2023,” Halpern stated.

Despite the digital program, GPO will print publications requested by federal agencies and FDLP will distribute them to select libraries. The print copies will continue to serve their purpose in legal and statutory requirements, and rules on their retention will stay the same.

Once Halpern approves the transition, the publishing office will formulate migration and training plans and engage with stakeholders.

The Department of Homeland Security has opened the Small Business Innovation Research 23.1 Solicitation for seven technology projects.

The agency, which launched a pre-solicitation last month, said that it will only accept online research proposal submissions until Jan. 17.

Vendors that specialize in accurate and real-time hardware-assisted detection of cyber threats, air cargo manifest analysis to support screening, first responder credentialing, and machine learning-based integration of alarm resolution sensors are sought by the 23.1 Solicitation.

The rest of the topics focus on server-to-server communication, voice communications and 3GPP standards for mission-critical services; reduced order modeling of critical infrastructure protect surfaces; and theoretical classification methodologies to enable detection with predicted signatures.

“One of the best ways for small business to begin partnering with DHS is with the non-dilutive funding through the SBIR program, which is designed to engage them in federal research and development,” said Dusty Lang, DHS SBIR Director. “Publishing the annual solicitation is an exciting time for our program as we prepare to foster new relationships with small businesses in support of the pursuit of innovation.”

Space Operations Command has launched an office tasked with improving the procurement and integration of new technologies and capabilities into space operations.

SpOC said Monday that the Space Acquisition and Integration Office was formally activated at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado to supply the U.S. Space Force with new warfighting capabilities.

Katharine Weimer, director of SAIO, said the office not only supports acquisition and integration efforts but also provides integrated program, contracting and quality management services in support of SpOC-assigned missions.

SAIO also supports two combatant commands and the USSF’s Space Training and Readiness Command as they build up their own procurement capability.

“We are proud of the speed we executed the acquisition by condensing a normal 14–18-month timeline to six months and being at the forefront of helping STARCOM establish its training model,” shared Weimer.

SpOC informally activated SAIO on June 18, 2021, through the merger of three legacy organizations and two contracting flights.