Tag Archives: biden administration

The Biden Administration submitted to Congress on Friday its priorities for the fiscal year 2022 discretionary spending. Those priorities included in the submission to Congress was the funding request for the U.S. General Service Administration (GSA). These discretionary investments are an element of President Biden’s broader agenda. The budget also includes $500 million for the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF). 

President Biden is expected to submit to Congress the administration's discretionary spending top line requests for the fiscal year 2022 on Friday, signaling the start of the annual budget and appropriations process. The upcoming $715 billion defense budget request is slightly less than 2021’s request when adjusted for inflation.

Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., chairman of the House Oversight and Reform’s government operations subcommittee, and Rep. Jody Hice, R-Ga., ranking member of the House subpanel, have called on President Biden to nominate members to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). Hice and Connolly said MSPB has lacked a quorum since Jan. 2017 and has been without a single member on the board since March 2019. 

Jessica Maxwell, a spokeswoman for the Department of Defense (DOD), said the Pentagon is assessing the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program to ensure that it is meeting goals without impeding industry participation. Maxwell told the publication in a statement that the DOD routinely executes assessments at the early stages of major programs.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) plans to invest $150 million to help Americans in underserved communities access COVID-19 treatment. HHS said Wednesday that it may increase the capacity of health care centers, hire more staff and deliver more equipment to boost the distribution of monoclonal antibody treatments.

Avril Haines, the director of National Intelligence and a 2021 Wash100 Award recipient, issued a statement supporting President Biden's nominee for the general counsel position at the Office of the DNI. Nominee Chris Fonzone holds years of experience in the national security area across a range of roles, having served with the departments of Defense and Justice (DOJ). 

Jennifer Granholm, formerly the governor of Michigan, assumed leadership over the Department of Energy (DOE) when she was sworn in on Thursday as the 16th energy secretary. Granholm's swearing in follows a Senate vote of 64-35 for her confirmation as the secretary of energy. She takes over from David Huizenga who held the role on an acting basis as the Biden administration transitioned in.

Denis McDonough, formerly chief of staff to President Obama, has been Senate-confirmed to become secretary of veterans affairs. A Senate meeting on Monday resulted in an 87-7 vote in favor of McDonough. McDonough was the deputy national security adviser during the Obama administration and also served in the former president's transition team.

President Biden has issued a memo seeking to create a task force on scientific integrity to promote decision-making driven by scientific data. The memo directs the director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to establish an interagency group under the National Science and Technology Council.

President Biden has halted U.S. weapons sales to foreign nations on a temporary basis to allow time for administrative assessments. In January 2021, Reuters reported that the United Arab Emirates entered into an agreement with the U.S. to purchase $23 billion worth of Lockheed Martin-built F-35 aircraft and a maximum of 18 drones.