GovConJudicata Weekly Debrief (9/20–24)

This week's Weekly Debrief covers an NDAA provision on Pentagon UFO study, government shutdown commentary, DoD's flexible IT spending, Army's network modernization efforts, a December vaccine mandate for federal contractors, and leading cyber officials prefer fines over subpoenas.

Congress

NextGov – House NDAA Includes Permanent UFO-Studying Office Within Pentagon

• "Tucked into the House of Representatives’ lengthy fiscal 2022 National Defense Authorization Act proposal lawmakers passed Thursday evening is a provision to form a permanent office under the Defense secretary, where officials would investigate government- and military-provided reports of unexplained sights in the sky."

FedNewsNet – Shutdown ahead? Groundhog Day, government style!

• "If lightning struck your house twice in 2018, once in 2013 and twice before in 1997, you might consider moving — right? Or investing in a really good lightning rod! And suppose this was a pattern. Nightmarish stuff. But what if the nightmare is real. And you are the target. It’s déjà vu all over again. Groundhog Day, government style!"

Defense

FedNewsNet – For DoD, new flexibility for IT spending is a test of trust with Congress

• "When it comes to implementing modern software development techniques, one of the Defense Department’s biggest problems has been its own budgeting system. The procurement, R&D and operations buckets the military uses to fund the development of missiles, frigates and tanks are anything but agile."

BreakingDefense – Top Army General: Network Modernization ‘Never Going To Stop

• "The Army’s effort to modernize its networks to prepare for future wars is a “continuous journey” that requires the flexibility to add emerging technologies, the general leading the effort said this week."

Contractors

FederalTimes – Federal contractors face a December vaccine deadline

• "Employees of most federal contractors have until Dec. 8 to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 under President Joe Biden’s recent executive order mandating such vaccinations, according to guidance issued by the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force Sept. 24."

Cyber

NextGov – Leading Cyber Officials Favor Fines Over Subpoenas to Enforce Incident Reporting

• "Three of the nation’s top cybersecurity leaders asked lawmakers to use fines in crafting legislation that would require private-sector entities to report incidents like ransomware and other cyberattacks."

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