Elizabeth Hyman Posts

A look at the week of November 14 in public advocacy for the IT channel: This week, Janet Napolitano, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, authored an op-ed citing the urgent need for cyber legislation.  A bipartisan group of senators has introduced a bill allowing states to collect sales tax on online purchases.  The Institute of Medicine released a report recommending the creation of an independent federal entity to monitor effects of health IT.Ramping Up U.S. Cybersecurity; Op-Ed ...

A look at the week of November 7 in public advocacy for the IT channel: This week, the Senate passed a bill that funds multiple cybersecurity initiatives.  Small businesses that expand to serve government contracts are lobbying for some mid-size business protections. Rep. James Langevin (D-RI) is calling on Congress to speed up work on a cybersecurity bill.Funding Bill Invests in Cyber Jobs — A funding bill that would expand federal cybersecurity jobs and invest in scholarships for prospective c ...

A look at the week of October 24 in public advocacy for the IT channel: This week, the Obama Administration rounded up representatives from government agencies and congressional committees to press for comprehensive cybersecurity legislation this year.  Cybersecurity spending in defense IT budgets is expected to accelerate, especially in the event of a cyberattack.  Small businesses are found to be the most vulnerable to cyberattacks.Obama Officials Press for Cybersecurity Bill in Classified Bri ...

A look at the week of October 17 in public advocacy for the IT channel: This week, the SEC updated a disclosure requirement to press companies to report data breaches and cyber attacks.  Agencies also are updating policies due to data breaches, requiring that contractors that handle personally identifiable information complete privacy training.  As politicians tout small businesses as the engines of job creation, the Small Business Administration looks into the facts and figures of these claims. ...

A look at the week of October 9 in public advocacy for the IT channel: This week, the White House ordered a review of policies regarding classified information.  A Republican task force has developed cybersecurity recommendations that could be acted on in the upcoming year.  The House Homeland Security subcommittee held a hearing to examine the security implications of cloud computing.White House Orders New Computer Security Rules — The White House issued an executive order to replace a flawed p ...

A look at the week of October 3 in public advocacy for the IT channel: This week, a new report by the Government Accountability Office found that sensitive data in a number of federal agencies remains greatly at risk.  The U.S. remains the most competitive nation for IT despite economic troubles.  The Obama Administration has designated October as National Cybersecurity Awareness month and will be conducting events across the country to promote cyber safety.GAO: Federal Data at Cyber Risk — Sens ...

A look at the week of September 26 in public advocacy for the IT channel: This week, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved three controversial data breach bills.  Spending cuts might limit the government’s ability to transition to cloud computing and take advantage of long-term cost savings.  A new Senate bill aims to stop large firms from pirating federal contracts meant for small businesses.Panel Approves Data-Breach Bills Despite Partisan Rancor — The Senate Judiciary Committee approved thr ...

A look at the week of September 19 in public advocacy for the IT channel: This week, agencies report doubts about the White House “cloud first” policy as cyberattacks continue to be a rising threat.  Government Health IT takes an in-depth look at the joint electronic health record (EHR) project that the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are working on.  As the job market in the U.S. continues to struggle, lawmakers consider programs to attract foreign investment a ...

A look at the week of September 12 in public advocacy for the IT channel: This week, Obama revealed a new jobs plan with tax cuts targeted at small businesses.  Now that Congress is back in session, cybersecurity is topping their agenda.  The healthcare industry reports it is understaffed, in terms of its IT needs. Small Business Is Focus of Tax Cuts— The Wall Street Journal reports that President Barack Obama's new jobs plan seeks to coax wary employers to invest and hire ...

A look at the week of September 6 in public advocacy for the IT channel:  This week, IT policy news focused on two topics: cybersecurity training and employment and the role of cloud computing in cutting government IT costs.  Nextgov.com reports that the GAO is concerned about whether the supply of U.S. cyber workers will meet the government’s demand, while USA Today reports that cyber programs are springing up in institutions of higher education across the country to address this gap.GAO Review ...