The Wrap: Dems Press OMB on Pay; USPTO Needs a CAIO; USAF Opens Its Gates to AI – LinkedIn
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Welcome to The Wrap for Monday, October 27!
From the newsroom at MeriTalk, it’s the quickest read in federal tech news. Here’s what you need to know today:
Dems Press OMB on Pay
More than 60 Democrats are urging the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to reinstate furloughed federal employees whose jobs are funded by collected user fees and resume their pay. The Democrats are arguing that these operations continued under prior shutdowns. In an Oct. 24 letter to OMB Director Russ Vought, lawmakers said recent OMB moves “are unprecedented during a government shutdown and have no legal or financial justification.” For instance, the lawmakers cite furloughed employees who work at the U.S. Department of State ’s Bureau of Consular Affairs , which is funded through fees collected for visa and passport processing. They also pointed to furloughs of GSA personnel whose work does not rely on congressional appropriations, such as those funded through the Acquisition Service Fund or carryover funds. “The only rationale here seems to be needlessly inflicting maximum pain on federal workers who are serving the American people,” the lawmakers wrote. The group wants immediate reinstatement, back pay, and answers on impacts and justification by Oct. 31.
USPTO Needs a CAIO
Now hiring! The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ( USPTO ) is looking for a new chief artificial intelligence officer (CAIO), after Jerry Ma stepped down from the role in May. According to a job posting on USAJOBS , the CAIO will advise the chief information officer (CIO) and deputy CIO on integrating AI and machine learning (ML) into USPTO operations. “The USPTO is now hiring for its second-ever Chief AI Officer, and there exists no better agency for a civic-minded AI leader to jump in and start delivering,” Ma wrote in an Oct. 25 LinkedIn post. The CAIO must offer technical expertise to the CIO and deputy CIO, provide hands-on engineering in AI-related areas, and possess leadership qualities. The USPTO is accepting applications for the CAIO role until Nov. 25.
USAF Opens Its Gates to AI
The United States Air Force is inviting private companies to build large-scale AI data centers on unused land at five military bases. The projects, each expected to cost over $500 million and draw at least 100 megawatts of power, would be located at the Arnold Air Force Base/Arnold Engineering Development Complex in Tennessee, Edwards Air Force Base in California, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey, and Robins Air Force Base in Georgia. This move follows two 2025 executive orders from President Trump aimed at speeding up AI infrastructure and encouraging federal agencies to make government property available for private-sector development. “The Air Force cannot afford to disregard or discount the value of any asset, and we must optimize the real and potential value of those assets,” the service wrote in the solicitation. The plan allows developers to lease the land, with the Air Force receiving payments and retaining first rights to any on-site power. Proposals are due Nov. 14.
FERC Fast-Track for Data Centers
Secretary of Energy Chris Wright has directed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to start a rulemaking to fast-track large-load interconnections, with action urged by April 30, 2026. In an Oct. 23 letter, Wright said, “To usher in a new era of American prosperity, we must ensure all Americans and domestic industries have access to affordable, reliable, and secure electricity. To do this, large loads, including AI data centers, served by public utilities must be able to connect to the transmission system in a timely, orderly, and non-discriminatory manner.” His proposal would apply to large loads over 20 megawatts. The proposed rule would allow customers to file joint, co-located load and generation interconnection requests. Cue the counterpoint: former FERC Chair Mark Christie questioned whether the proposal represents “an unprecedented expansion of federal control and intrusion on the states’ historic retail regulatory authority.” The Wrap will be watching as this process plays out at FERC.
Once again, let’s “call IT a day,” but we’ll bring you more tomorrow. Until then, please check the MeriTalk breaking news website throughout the day for the latest on government IT people, progress, and policy.
And finally, please hit the news tip jar (with leads, breaking news, or simply your two cents) at newsstaff@meritalk.com.
To view or add a comment, sign in
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source
This article was autogenerated from a news feed from CDO TIMES selected high quality news and research sources. There was no editorial review conducted beyond that by CDO TIMES staff. Need help with any of the topics in our articles? Schedule your free CDO TIMES Tech Navigator call today to stay ahead of the curve and gain insider advantages to propel your business!
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Welcome to The Wrap for Monday, October 27!
From the newsroom at MeriTalk, it’s the quickest read in federal tech news. Here’s what you need to know today:
Dems Press OMB on Pay
More than 60 Democrats are urging the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to reinstate furloughed federal employees whose jobs are funded by collected user fees and resume their pay. The Democrats are arguing that these operations continued under prior shutdowns. In an Oct. 24 letter to OMB Director Russ Vought, lawmakers said recent OMB moves “are unprecedented during a government shutdown and have no legal or financial justification.” For instance, the lawmakers cite furloughed employees who work at the U.S. Department of State ’s Bureau of Consular Affairs , which is funded through fees collected for visa and passport processing. They also pointed to furloughs of GSA personnel whose work does not rely on congressional appropriations, such as those funded through the Acquisition Service Fund or carryover funds. “The only rationale here seems to be needlessly inflicting maximum pain on federal workers who are serving the American people,” the lawmakers wrote. The group wants immediate reinstatement, back pay, and answers on impacts and justification by Oct. 31.
USPTO Needs a CAIO
Now hiring! The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ( USPTO ) is looking for a new chief artificial intelligence officer (CAIO), after Jerry Ma stepped down from the role in May. According to a job posting on USAJOBS , the CAIO will advise the chief information officer (CIO) and deputy CIO on integrating AI and machine learning (ML) into USPTO operations. “The USPTO is now hiring for its second-ever Chief AI Officer, and there exists no better agency for a civic-minded AI leader to jump in and start delivering,” Ma wrote in an Oct. 25 LinkedIn post. The CAIO must offer technical expertise to the CIO and deputy CIO, provide hands-on engineering in AI-related areas, and possess leadership qualities. The USPTO is accepting applications for the CAIO role until Nov. 25.
USAF Opens Its Gates to AI
The United States Air Force is inviting private companies to build large-scale AI data centers on unused land at five military bases. The projects, each expected to cost over $500 million and draw at least 100 megawatts of power, would be located at the Arnold Air Force Base/Arnold Engineering Development Complex in Tennessee, Edwards Air Force Base in California, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey, and Robins Air Force Base in Georgia. This move follows two 2025 executive orders from President Trump aimed at speeding up AI infrastructure and encouraging federal agencies to make government property available for private-sector development. “The Air Force cannot afford to disregard or discount the value of any asset, and we must optimize the real and potential value of those assets,” the service wrote in the solicitation. The plan allows developers to lease the land, with the Air Force receiving payments and retaining first rights to any on-site power. Proposals are due Nov. 14.
FERC Fast-Track for Data Centers
Secretary of Energy Chris Wright has directed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to start a rulemaking to fast-track large-load interconnections, with action urged by April 30, 2026. In an Oct. 23 letter, Wright said, “To usher in a new era of American prosperity, we must ensure all Americans and domestic industries have access to affordable, reliable, and secure electricity. To do this, large loads, including AI data centers, served by public utilities must be able to connect to the transmission system in a timely, orderly, and non-discriminatory manner.” His proposal would apply to large loads over 20 megawatts. The proposed rule would allow customers to file joint, co-located load and generation interconnection requests. Cue the counterpoint: former FERC Chair Mark Christie questioned whether the proposal represents “an unprecedented expansion of federal control and intrusion on the states’ historic retail regulatory authority.” The Wrap will be watching as this process plays out at FERC.
Once again, let’s “call IT a day,” but we’ll bring you more tomorrow. Until then, please check the MeriTalk breaking news website throughout the day for the latest on government IT people, progress, and policy.
And finally, please hit the news tip jar (with leads, breaking news, or simply your two cents) at newsstaff@meritalk.com.
To view or add a comment, sign in
Welcome to The Wrap for Tuesday, October 28! From the newsroom at MeriTalk, it’s the quickest read in federal tech…
Welcome to The Wrap for Friday, October 24! From the newsroom at MeriTalk, it’s the quickest read in federal tech news.…
Welcome to The Wrap for Thursday, October 23! From the newsroom at MeriTalk, it’s the quickest read in federal tech…
Welcome to The Wrap for Wednesday, October 22! From the newsroom at MeriTalk, it’s the quickest read in federal tech…
Welcome to The Wrap for Tuesday, October 21! From the newsroom at MeriTalk, it’s the quickest read in federal tech…
Welcome to The Wrap for Monday, October 20! From the newsroom at MeriTalk, it’s the quickest read in federal tech news.…
Welcome to The Wrap for Friday, October 17! From the newsroom at MeriTalk, it’s the quickest read in federal tech news.…
Welcome to The Wrap for Thursday, October 16! From the newsroom at MeriTalk, it’s the quickest read in federal tech…
Welcome to The Wrap for Wednesday, October 15! From the newsroom at MeriTalk, it’s the quickest read in federal tech…
Welcome to The Wrap for Tuesday, October 14! From the newsroom at MeriTalk, it’s the quickest read in federal tech…
source
This article was autogenerated from a news feed from CDO TIMES selected high quality news and research sources. There was no editorial review conducted beyond that by CDO TIMES staff. Need help with any of the topics in our articles? Schedule your free CDO TIMES Tech Navigator call today to stay ahead of the curve and gain insider advantages to propel your business!
