The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently released a new AI strategy to transform agency operations. Reflecting the federal government’s increasing emphasis on AI adoption, HHS is looking to expand the use of the rapidly advancing technology and encourage workforce development. It outlines a department-level transformation focused on more coordinated enterprise efforts, centralization and shared resources in a vision they are calling OneHHS.

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is passed annually to define the Department of Defense’s priorities and guide how funds are allocated. While it doesn’t directly appropriate money, it shapes the direction of defense spending and sets the framework for future contracts. This makes it a key indicator of where IT investments and opportunities will emerge.

In August 2025, President Trump signed an executive order titled “Improving Our Nation Through Better Design,” establishing the new “America by Design” initiative. The order aims to enhance both the digital and physical experiences of government services and facilities, signaling a major modernization effort focused on design, technology and user experience.

As the U.S. marks Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a critical pillar of the nation’s digital defense has expired. On September 30th, Congress failed to pass a continuing resolution, furloughing many federal cybersecurity staff and allowing the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA) of 2015 to lapse as cyber threats are reaching unprecedented levels. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which spearheaded much of the law’s implementation, has also furloughed nearly two-thirds of its workforce.

The Space Systems Command (SSC) Front Door is now the go-to portal for businesses looking to work with the US Space Force. As the Space Force budget is requested as high as $39 billion, including all FY26 requests and reconciliation funding, IT companies have a bigger role to play than ever.

Over the last decade, technology has profoundly transformed U.S. state, local government, and higher education (SLED). As digital landscapes evolve, a skilled workforce is crucial. Pluralsight has proudly supported state and local governments for a decade by partnering with NASCIO through sponsorships and workforce development initiatives. Explore the top ten tech trends reshaping public service, and see how Pluralsight helps leaders build resilient, future-ready teams.

The United States is facing a significant cybersecurity workforce shortage, with NIST identifying over 500,000 open cyber positions and estimating there are 74 workers for every 100 cyber jobs. This shortage threatens both the nation’s private sector security profile and federal agencies struggling to compete for cybersecurity professionals. As such, the government is working to support cyber education in the United States. In the meantime, departments will also likely need to implement cyber solutions that can aid in accommodating for the workforce shortfall.

In 2018, the federal government started implementation of Trusted Workforce 2.0, a whole-of-government approach to establish a single employee vetting system for the US government which promises increased security and reduced background check times.

At this point, anyone keenly watching the budget process every year can tell you the likelihood of a continuing resolution (CR) being passed as opposed to a new budget by Oct 1st is all but guaranteed. CRs act as a temporary stopgap designed to avoid a government shutdown. However, it also locks funding to the previous fiscal year’s level and prevents new projects from getting started. Projects then remain under operations and maintenance until a new budget, with new requirements, is passed.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBA), enacted on July 4, 2025, is a significant piece of legislation outlining President Trump's executive agenda and guiding future U.S. tax and spending policies.