The White House issued a presidential memorandum tasking government agencies to work with the private sector in combating transnational criminal organizations (TCOs). Under the memo’s direction, the government will work with the private sector on cyber operations that “counter TCO threats and combat transnational cybercrime, fraud, and other predatory schemes against American citizens.” Coverage can be found in Bleeping Computer, and a White House Fact Sheet on the memo can be found here.
Below, we share a special Voices for Innovation podcast, featuring Allyson Knox, formerly with Microsoft and a leading voice on education and workforce policy. She discusses AI skilling policy and what we can do to build an AI-powered workforce.
Thank you for reading—and listening! We’ve also rounded up additional tech policy news from the past week.
This Week in Washington
- FedScoop: A bipartisan group of Senators released a companion to a House-passed cyber bill for small businesses. The Small Business Cybersecurity Assistance Evaluation Act (S.5291) would improve federal cybersecurity resources to help small businesses mitigate their cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
- The Hill: Senate Democrats unveiled a new cybersecurity bill dubbed the Water Cyber Shield Act in an effort to prevent attacks on water infrastructure. The legislation would increase the drinking water and clean water state revolving funds by $300 million annually for cybersecurity improvements, and it would allow the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct cybersecurity assessments and require corrective actions when needed.
- CyberScoop: The National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) said its National Vulnerability Database, one of the primary ways the federal government coordinates with security researchers to identify and fix software vulnerabilities, must be updated to better meet the challenges of an “evolving cybersecurity landscape increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence and machine-consumable security data.”
Article Summary
- KOAT: As families prepare for the back-to-school season, parents are leveraging AI to manage busy schedules and streamline daily routines.
- WIRED: Researchers and scientists are using AI to make big breakthroughs in better understanding one of the greatest challenges in modern genetics: schizophrenia.
- CyberScoop: The U.S. Coast Guard is monitoring a cyberattack that hit gate systems at all three North Carolina ports. Officials continue investigating the breach and its effects on operations.
Featured Highlight
- Voices for Innovation Fireside Chat (audio version)
Voices for Innovation is excited to announce a new podcast. Join us as Mike McMahon, Senior Director of US Government Affairs at Microsoft, and Allyson Knox, formerly with Microsoft and a leading voice on education and workforce policy, come together for an in-depth conversation on AI skilling policy. (Voices for Innovation Fireside Chat with Allyson Knox – 35 minute listen)
Note: Voices for Innovation regularly shares a range of opinion articles and press releases from organizations in and publications covering tech policy. These pieces are meant to educate our audience, not to endorse specific platforms or bills.