Smarter Gov Tech, Stronger MerITocracy

Lisbeth Perez

MeriTalk

Lisbeth Perez is a MeriTalk Senior Technology Reporter covering the intersection of government and technology.

The Department of the Air Force (DAF) has cut $10.4 billion in costs after a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) “efficiency review” of over 500 contracts and 50 business systems, an Air Force spokesperson told MeriTalk. […]

space

The Senate – by voice vote on July 17 – confirmed the nomination of U.S. Space Force Gen. Michael Guetlein to lead President Donald Trump’s signature Golden Dome missile defense initiative, officially transitioning him from his role as vice chief of space operations to the newly created position of direct reporting program manager for Golden Dome. […]

Pentagon leaders are fast-tracking efforts to cut the red tape and rapidly expand the U.S. military’s drone arsenal, with 18 newly developed, American-made drone prototypes being prepared for service. […]

The Pentagon is a very large building that houses a lot of the authorities for the U.S. Military. It's big. This photo doesn't do it justice, but they're kinda rightly concerned about people flying drones around there.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has appointed Cyrus Jabbari as its new chief data officer (CDO), the organization announced in a recent press release. Jabbari, who began his role in May, succeeds Dr. Michael Foster, who left the position in December 2024. […]

Pipeline

Paul Roberti, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), told lawmakers on July 16 that a “whole-of-government” approach is necessary to protect the nation’s pipeline systems from cyber threats. […]

The House Armed Services Committee advanced its version of the fiscal year (FY) 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by a 55–2 vote late Tuesday, moving forward a sweeping defense policy bill that includes key provisions related to space technology, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence. […]

CISA

In its fourth attempt to get answers, Democratic lawmakers are once again pressing officials at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) for explanations on how the agency is supporting state and local election offices ahead of the 2026 midterm election cycle. […]

DoD Pentagon Military

One thing Democrats and Republicans agree on: the Trump administration’s delayed defense budget has left Congress to draft a massive bill on its own with little clarity on which national security programs need funding or how the Pentagon plans to spend the money. […]

DoD Pentagon Military

Senate and House lawmakers have outlined competing visions for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year (FY) 2026, setting the stage for negotiations over national security policy and military spending priorities and in particular laying out different next steps for the Pentagon on artificial intelligence (AI) approaches. […]

Lisbeth Perez
MeriTalk