If President-elect Donald Trump follows through on his promise to reinstate an executive order that eases the president’s ability to fire federal employees, the government’s ability to recruit top talent for positions in technology, IT, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence will be compromised, according to a senior Biden administration official. The 2020 executive order regarding the creation of Schedule F in the excepted service was issued just 13 days before the 2020 election and was rescinded by an executive order from President Joe Biden aimed at ensuring workforce protections federal government in 2021. The Office of Personnel Management announced a final rule in April that aimed to strengthen merit system protections and principles for career civil servants.

Transportation Security Administration released long-awaited cyber mandate proposals on Thursday this would enshrine, harmonize, and supplement emergency security guidance first issued following the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack in 2021. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) will be one of the final policy actions major steps the Biden administration will take to protect critical infrastructure from malicious cyberattacks before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

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