Government Initiatives and Investigations: From Tax Evasion in Cryptocurrency to Clean Energy Procurements

The IRS is cracking down on tax evasion in the trillion-dollar industry of cryptocurrency, investigating nearly 400 cases involving virtual currency or digital assets. The agency recommended more than half of those cases for persecution as part of its Operation Hidden Treasure. However, an agency watchdog says the campaign is more focused on acquiring tools and training rather than enforcement.

The Defense Department’s Office of Inspector General found that the DoD chief information officer office did not fully adhere to policies set by the Office of Management and Budget. The CIO office failed to ensure a significant portion of the DoD Digital Modernization Strategy is verifiable and measurable, and did not provide yearly assessments of the strategy in fiscal 2022 and 2023. The DoD CIO has agreed to address the inspector general’s recommendations.

Senate lawmakers are launching an investigation into security failures that led to an assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump. Leaders of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee are requesting a closed-door briefing from the Secret Service, the FBI, and the Department of Homeland Security before the end of next week. Committee Chairman Gary Peters and Ranking Member Rand Paul are asking officials from those agencies to testify before the committee in a public hearing by the end of the month.

The federal government is once again in the market for clean energy, with the Pentagon and the General Services Administration seeking vendors to supply federal buildings in 13 states and the District of Columbia with carbon-free energy. The government expects to buy about three-and-a-half million megawatt hours of clean electricity each year under the new procurements as part of the Biden Administration’s goal to get federal facilities off of carbon-emitting energy sources by 2030.

The Transportation Department is hiring a chief artificial intelligence officer to help coordinate the department’s use of AI, promote AI innovation, and address the risks of the technology. The position is open through Aug. 9 and is based in DC, with occasional telework options available. In May, the Transportation Department’s Advanced Research Projects Agency put out a request for information on the potential applications of AI in the transportation sector.