The Daily Scoop Podcast – Episode Summary

Episode: Bills to fund TMF, overhaul IT procurement move forward in House
Date: February 5, 2026
Host: Billy Mitchell

Overview

In this episode, Billy Mitchell breaks down significant legislative developments in federal technology policy, with a focus on bills to reauthorize funding for the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) and overhaul IT procurement processes. The episode also covers Senator Maria Cantwell’s efforts to hold telecom companies accountable following Chinese cyberattacks and the federal regulatory and legislative response to those intrusions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Legislation on the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF)

[00:35]

• The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee advanced several tech-related bills, including efforts to reauthorize and strengthen the TMF, which funds tech modernization projects across agencies.
• The Modernizing Government Technology Reform Act would:
  • Reauthorize the TMF and governing board through 2032.
  • Require agencies to fully reimburse the fund at levels to ensure its longevity.
  • Mandate agencies repay administrative fees and create inventories of legacy IT.
• An amendment from Rep. James Walkinshaw would have the GAO issue biannual reports on TMF’s impact on addressing high-priority legacy IT projects.

Notable Quotes:

• “Representative Nancy Mace … said it was her privilege to work with former Representative Gerry Connolly on the bill before he died of cancer last May, calling the late Virginia Democrat one of TMF’s strongest supporters and a good faith partner on the bill.” [01:30]
• “Extending the TMF is critical to ensuring federal agencies, many of which still rely on outdated IT systems, can modernize their infrastructure and defend against growing cyber threats.” — Rep. Chantel Brown [02:05]

2. Overhaul of Federal IT Procurement

[02:40]

• The Federal Improvement in Technology Procurement Act moved out of committee unanimously (42-0).
• The bill aims to:
  • Streamline the procurement process for small businesses.
  • Urge contracting officers to scrutinize large acquisitions to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse.
  • Raise the micro-purchase threshold from $10,000 to $25,000.
  • Raise the simplified acquisition threshold from $250,000 to $500,000.

Notable Quotes:

• “According to House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, the [procurement] bill would increase the micro-purchase threshold from $10,000 to $25,000 and raised the simplified acquisition threshold from $250,000 to $500,000.” [03:20]

3. Congressional Scrutiny of Telecom Cybersecurity

[03:50]

• More than a year after hacks attributed to Chinese group “Salt Typhoon” against US telecommunications networks, renewed calls are being made for accountability.
• Senator Maria Cantwell is pushing for hearings with telecom CEOs (Verizon and AT&T) to explain the breach and steps taken to secure networks.
• Cantwell laments the lack of cooperation and questions whether the networks remain at risk.

Notable Quotes:

• “Unfortunately, both AT&T and Verizon have chosen not to cooperate, which raises serious questions about the extent to which Americans who use these networks remain exposed to unacceptable risk.” — Sen. Maria Cantwell [04:40]

• “Salt Typhoon’s intrusion into telecom networks exposed major security weaknesses and put sensitive communications and data belonging to US politicians and policymakers at risk.” [04:55]

• Previous oversight and investigations were halted:

  • The Cybersafety Review Board’s inquiry at DHS was stopped by the Trump administration.
  • Former board member calls the unfinished investigation “one of her biggest career regrets.” [05:15]

4. Regulatory Efforts and Setbacks

[05:25]

• Before leaving office, FCC under Biden introduced emergency cybersecurity regulations for telecoms:
  • Would have required annual cyber risk certifications and filling known security gaps (e.g., enforcing multi-factor authentication).
• Outgoing FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel: new rules were “badly needed” to hold telecoms accountable.
• Brendan Carr (new FCC chair) rescinded the regulations, suggesting voluntary cooperation with telecoms is sufficient. Ana Gomez, another commissioner, reports seeing “no evidence that her agency had been meeting with telecoms on the issue.” [05:45]

Memorable Moments & Tone

• The episode carries an urgent, policy-focused tone, emphasizing bipartisan action but also notable gridlock and regulatory rollbacks.
• Tributes are paid to late Rep. Gerry Connolly for his leadership in federal IT modernization efforts.
• There’s a sense of frustration about telecom accountability and the abrupt ending of vital cybersecurity investigations.

Important Timestamps

• [00:35] Introduction of House legislation on TMF and procurement.
• [01:30] Nancy Mace’s tribute to Gerry Connolly.
• [02:05] Chantel Brown on the importance of TMF for cybersecurity.
• [03:20] Details on procurement threshold increases.
• [04:40] Senator Cantwell’s criticism of telecoms’ lack of cooperation.
• [05:15] The halted Cybersafety Review Board investigation.
• [05:25] FCC regulations proposed and rescinded.

Conclusion

This episode of The Daily Scoop provides a comprehensive update on legislative steps to bolster federal technology modernization and procurement, while spotlighting the ongoing struggle to ensure telecom cybersecurity in the wake of major breaches. The discussion reflects both bipartisan resolve and structural challenges to reform and oversight in federal IT and cybersecurity policy.