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Cost Estimating NewsBrief: May 23, 2025
House narrowly passes reconciliation bill with $150B for defense
(Breaking Defense) The House passed a massive GOP-backed funding package today, paving the way for Congress to add $150 billion in defense spending aimed at boosting major Trump administration priorities like Golden Dome. The so-called “one big, beautiful bill,” approved in a 215-214-1 vote, uses a special process known as “budget reconciliation” to filibuster-proof the legislation, allowing a party that controls both chambers to push funding through without needing to win over the minority. Read More
Proposed moratorium on state-level AI regs aims to level the playing field, lawmaker says
(NextGov/FCW) Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Ga., defended the proposed decade-long moratorium on states enforcing individual laws governing artificial intelligence as a proactive step toward fostering equality among tech companies. Speaking during a GovExec event Wednesday, he said the ten-year moratorium on individual state AI regulations featured in the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Draft Budget Resolution that passed the House early Thursday aims to prevent conflicting AI laws from stifling innovation. Read More
GAO Asked to Perform ‘Comprehensive Review’ of Charge Card Use
(FedWeek) Two leading congressional Republicans have asked the GAO to perform a “comprehensive review of the issuance and management of government purchase, travel, fleet, and integrated charge cards,” following an inspector general report calling on DoD to tighten controls over cards issued to both military and civilian personnel. “With tens of billions in taxpayer funds at stake each year, a comprehensive assessment is urgently needed to identify systemic risks, eliminate inefficiencies, and restore accountability to federal charge card programs,” Read More
We don’t know how bad it could get’: Are we ready for the worst space weather?
(Space.com) Imagine being told a storm is heading your way, but you won’t know how bad the winds are or whether they’ll knock out power until just minutes before it hits. That’s the challenge scientists face when it comes to predicting solar storms. We’ve come a long way in understanding space weather. We can spot solar storm eruptions, track their speed, and estimate when they’ll arrive at Earth, sometimes with up to a day’s warning. However, one critical piece of information remains frustratingly out of reach until the last moment: the orientation of the storm’s magnetic field, known as the Bz component. Read More
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