Gov't Legislation/Regulation - News, Features, and Slideshows

News

• U.S. antitrust regulators okay Microsoft-Nokia deal

  U.S. regulators have given the green light to Microsoft's acquisition of Nokia's handset business, moving the deal a major step closer to wrapping up.

• Supreme Court refusal to block NSA data collection not surprising

  Privacy rights advocates and legal experts this week said they were disappointed but not surprised with the U.S. Supreme Court's denial of a petition challenging the legality of the National Security Agency's phone metadata collection program.

• Schumer wants to extend ban on 3D-printed plastic guns

  Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) plans to file legislation that would extend and tighten an existing ban on 3D-printed plastic guns that can get through metal detectors and x-ray machines undetected.

• Professors warn that grads could face competition from H-1B workers

  The prospect of raising the cap on H-1B visas is worrying some academics, who say it would mean still competition for grads from lower-wage H-1B workers.

• Feds say 3D printed guns explode, can injure users

  Federal firearms agents found that all-plastic guns made by 3-D printers are dangerous and can explode in users hands.

• FAA roadmap sees challenges in allowing drones over U.S. airspace

  Government and industry need to overcome significant challenges, including those related to privacy and security, before commercial drone aircraft can be safely allowed over U.S. airspace, the FAA said Thursday.

• Apple brings 'warrant canary' into Patriot Act info request coal mine

  Apple received kudos yesterday for inserting a 'warrant canary' in its first transparency report on government information requests.

• 'War Room' notes describe IT chaos at Healthcare.gov

  On the morning of Oct. 1 in Washington, temperatures in the low 80s were expected, the Republican-engineered federal shutdown was in its first day, and a Healthcare.gov "War Room" team gathered for a meeting. They kept notes.

• Tech spending slows, thanks to Congress

  Forrester Research has lowered its projection for tech spending growth this year from 5.7% to 3.9%, and it attributes the slowdown mostly to moves in Congress.

• Infosys ran 'unlawful' visa scheme, U.S. alleges in settlement

  The U.S. alleges that offshore outsourcing giant Infosys violated visa laws to increase its profits, reduce visa expenses and avoid tax liabilities, in a settlement announced today.

• Healthcare.gov blame game goes on at House hearing

  A federal official directly responsible for Healthcare.gov appeared Wednesday to blame a 'subset' of contractors for the website's problems. In doing so, the government was refuting contractor claims that the Website's problems are the government's fault.

• Security concerns prompt supoena for Healthcare.gov data

  A U.S. House committee chairman, citing security concerns, today ordered a Healthcare.gov contractor to provide detailed information about its work on the project.

• Tech spending hurt this year by Congress

  Tech spending in the U.S. will increase by a smaller amount this year than earlier predicted, Forrester Research said today. And it blames Congress for the forecast decline.

• Healthcare.gov may be a 'black swan'

  Despite partisan sniping over the Affordable Care Act, members of a U.S. House committee probing the problems at Healthcare.gov Thursday asked some tough, IT-specific questions that revealed some key facts.

• Congress to probe Healthcare.gov for politics

  The U.S. House will begin drilling into the problems at Healthcare.gov on Thursday when a panel of project contractors face the the Energy and Commerce Committee. Fireworks are likely.