State Department News 
Top News
- IRS to pay $70M in bonuses, Grassley says
- Senators push Tangherlini for assurances GSA is improving
- As VA works to eliminate one backlog, one more might emerge
- Furlough song: Laugh or you'll cry
- Senators seek cost cuts for F-35 fighter jet
- GAO: Smooth launch unsure for health law
- GSA's Dorris builds online gateway to government services
- Navy strikes enterprise licensing deal with Oracle
- Contractors with security clearances lack path to report problems
- NSA leak case gives vendors reason to reevaluate personnel
- Does security clearance process need a makeover?
- 8 contract executives guilty of 8(a) contracting fraud
- Whistleblower suit leads to $12M false claims settlement by SAIC
- USPS reaches energy reduction goal ahead of schedule
- House passes sweeping $638 billion defense bill
- NASA picks 8 new astronauts, 4 of them women
CIO Council taskforce to change security metrics
New group is developing performance measures that are based on outcomes. OMB has set a November deadline for a draft of the metrics that will be reviewed by government and industry. DHS says the governmentwide focus to improve cybersecurity is on standards, metrics and authentication.
State Dept. announces A Night at the Park - Freedom for All event
State's Afghanistan "civilian surge light" may not be enough
Domestic Partner Benefits
Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says that straight and gay workers in most federal agencies may have to wait a while - a long while - before they get the same domestic partner benefits that have been extended to State Department's Foreign Service staff.
New guidelines to close 20 biggest cyber holes
The guidelines, issued Monday by public and private sector cybersecurity experts, are considered the low-hanging fruit to help agencies improve their network security immediately, says John Gilligan, a former Air Force and Energy Department chief information officer.
NIST says secure those mobile devices
New guidance offers steps agencies can take address risks in cell phones, PDAs
Agencies grasp onto IT optimization
Several contracts on way to help consolidate, standardize
Agencies grasp onto IT optimization
Several contracts on way to help consolidate, standardize
Agencies to set own human capital PMA goals
Federal management to remain priority in next administration
Embassy Facelifts
U.S. embassies around the world are getting facelifts and, in some cases, moving locations completely like the embassy in London. Will Colston is Deputy Managing Director of Project Development at the State Department.
