State Department News 
Top News
- 5 percent of federal workers to be furloughed Friday
- Congress pressures agencies to speed up office consolidations
- Katherine Archuleta chosen as next OPM director
- Data breach puts DHS workers at risk of identity theft
- DoD chooses interoperability over integration for new e-health record system
- House GOP panel moves on deep budget cuts
- OMB fuels synergy between mobile, open data
- IRS official Lerner: 'I did nothing wrong'
- Accountability breakdown leading factor in DoD sexual assaults
- OMB reworking financial system requirements
- Federal retirement funds temporarily tapped
- VanRoekel to lead OMB management team
- Meet the 2013 Service to America Medal finalists
- Thursday federal headlines - May 23, 2013
US Passports still vulnerable to fraud
Posing as someone else and using fake birth certificates and driver's licenses to get a U.S. passport can still work. For the second time in two years, the GAO has found holes in the country's security by deliberately using fraudulent material to obtain passports. But the hole has gotten smaller. GAO's Greg Kutz joins us with details.
Senator hopes to bridge feds foreign language gap
A Senate panel probes the government's continued foreign language deficiencies. The Government Accountability Office finds limited progress across several agencies. DHS and DoD are taking steps to increase the number of employees with foreign language skills.
State hopes technology will better secure passport process
GAO found significant success in obtaining passports using fraudulent documents in the second investigation in two years. While State is implementing facial recognition technology to close the existing gaps, lawmakers are introducing new legislation to give the agency more security capabilities.
GAO: State's passport program vulnerable to fraud
WFED's Jason Miller reports.
State Department moves ahead with Facebook-style site
At the Excellence of Government Conference, the State Department's Richard Boly, director of the Office of e-Diplomacy, talks about ways to improve communication and transparency without adding cost or red-tape.
State to turn to contractors when DoD goes
If outsourcing is the answer, what should be the question? We hear from Commissioner Grant Green of the Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
US lifts lid on alleged leak to WikiLeaks
State Department believes an alleged whistle-blower obtained secret diplomatic data.
U.S. contractor use in Iraq expected to rise
As the U.S. military pulls troops and equipment out of Iraq, the State Department will have to rely increasingly on contractors.
State Dept. guides staff on being diplomatic online
Get the details on what they can and can't do.
State department reaches out to Muslim communities
A new State department partnership will reach out to Muslim communities with education, employment, skills training and economic development aid
CIOs ponder change and vision on the job
Fourteen years ago, Congress passed the landmark Clinger-Cohen Act, creating the job of chief information officer in federal agencies. How has the job changed over the years, and what do today's CIOs think of their role?
State Department honors three with 'constructive dissent' awards
The awards are designed to encourage Foreign Service officers to speak out.
State Department uses eDiplomacy for outreach
The agency, which began their eDiplomacy taskforce in 2002, wants to be able to connect their diplomats around the world. And they're using the power of the Internet to do it.
Success with applied social networking at State
This week, host John Gilroy talks to Richard Boly, the force behind the State Department's Diplopedia.
June 22, 2010
Federal pay freeze proposal defeated
The Senate has rejected an attempt to freeze federal pay and the size of the government workforce. Also included in the defeated proposal was funding for a planned State Department security training facility.
State Department is Skeptical
In spite of the billions of dollars the U.S. government has provided Iraq to train it's military forces, there is evidence still of deep concern about whether they can do it. The State Department is reportedly putting together a diplomatic protection force to take the place of the U.S. military once they leave the country next year. Department officials are asking the Pentagon to provide heavy military gear, including Black Hawk helicopters, and say they will also need substantial support from private contractors.
State partners to green diplomacy
Earth Day Network and the U.S. Department of State have developed the D.C. Forum for Greening Embassies so that foreign missions can exchange ideas on environmental issues and operational practices. Details from State Department's director of management policy, right sizing and innovation, Marguerite Coffey.
State Department using social media to meet mission
Diplomats need to work with the under-30 age group that is using Internet-based communication technology, State's Jared Cohen says.
Continuous Monitoring? Been there, doing that
This week, Federal Security Spotlight talks with John Streufert of the State Department.
June 10, 2010
State evolving to 21st century diplomacy
Social media is changing the way the State Department meets its mission. The agency is using Web 2.0 tools to create relationships and partnering with experts to figure out how best to use them.
