White House Issues Cybersecurity Plan for Agencies and Contractors
Client Alert | 1 min read | 11.03.15
On October 30, the White House issued a "Cybersecurity Strategy and Implementation Plan" that directs all agencies to undertake a series of specific actions to identify and address cybersecurity gaps and priorities, including the "efficient and effective acquisition and deployment of existing and emerging technology." The Plan builds upon the proposed OMB guidance issued in August and calls for several actions, including (i) enhancing personal identity verification credentials for all federal employees and contractors; (ii) exploring contract vehicles for rapid incident response services; (iii) developing recommendations for how agencies can collectively implement commercially available products and services; (iv) improving government-wide incident reporting, response, and recovery practices; and (v) identifying gaps in cyber-talent across agencies and their contractors.
Contacts
Partner, Crowell Global Advisors Senior Director
- Washington, D.C.
- D | +1.202.624.2698
- Washington, D.C. (CGA)
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Insights
Client Alert | 3 min read | 11.21.25
On November 7, 2025, in Thornton v. National Academy of Sciences, No. 25-cv-2155, 2025 WL 3123732 (D.D.C. Nov. 7, 2025), the District Court for the District of Columbia dismissed a False Claims Act (FCA) retaliation complaint on the basis that the plaintiff’s allegations that he was fired after blowing the whistle on purported illegally discriminatory use of federal funding was not sufficient to support his FCA claim. This case appears to be one of the first filed, and subsequently dismissed, following Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s announcement of the creation of the Civil Rights Fraud Initiative on May 19, 2025, which “strongly encourages” private individuals to file lawsuits under the FCA relating to purportedly discriminatory and illegal use of federal funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in violation of Executive Order 14173, Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity (Jan. 21, 2025). In this case, the court dismissed the FCA retaliation claim and rejected the argument that an organization could violate the FCA merely by “engaging in discriminatory conduct while conducting a federally funded study.” The analysis in Thornton could be a sign of how forthcoming arguments of retaliation based on reporting allegedly fraudulent DEI activity will be analyzed in the future.
Client Alert | 3 min read | 11.20.25
Client Alert | 3 min read | 11.20.25
Client Alert | 6 min read | 11.19.25
