The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation advanced key IT legislation, as well as a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) nomination, out of today’s business meeting.
New bicameral legislation was introduced aimed at stopping government use of facial recognition and other biometric technology.
The 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that cleared the Senate Armed Services Committee last week on a bipartisan vote of 25-2 includes the Spectrum Modernization Act, which would direct the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to evaluate a range of IT improvements that would improve Federal government spectrum management.
Reps. Xochitl Torres Small, D-N.M., and Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., and Sens. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., Doug Jones, D-Ala., introduced legislation in both chambers of Congress June 11 to invest $50 million in rural telehealth initiatives amid the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, believes that the Federal government needs to help state and local governments figure out how to bridge the digital divide as the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates a need to expand broadband to areas that don’t have it and to provide better services.
The latest COVID-19 relief legislation being prepared by House Democrats – the HEROES Act – proposes $90 billion in funding for the Department of Education to help K-12 and colleges adjust to distance learning.
In light of millions of Americans applying for unemployment benefits due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sens. Mark Warner, D-Va., and Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., are looking to modernize state unemployment systems.
Sixteen Democratic senators, led by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., are requesting more funds for the General Services Administration (GSA) Technology Transformation Service (TTS) and the United Stated Digital Service (USDS) to upgrade COVID-19 coronavirus economic relief tech at the state and local levels.
Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., introduced a bill to the House on April 21 to provide support for internet devices during emergencies related to COVID-19.
In a letter to House leadership, Reps. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., Cedric Richmond, D-La., Derek Kilmer, D-Wash., and Dutch Ruppersberger, D-Md., wrote to request funding for state and local governments to support cybersecurity efforts in the next COVID-19 relief package.
