Lawmakers push for probe into Pentagon’s telecom security failures after historic cyberattack

In the wake of what some lawmakers are calling the worst telecom attack in the nation’s history, two senators are calling for an investigation into whether the Defense Department could use its purchasing power to better secure telephone communications from foreign spies. In a Wednesday letter to DoD Inspector General Robert Storch, Sens. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), said the Pentagon, despite being one of the largest buyers of wireless telephone services in the country, has failed to leverage its significant purchasing power to require better cybersecurity practices…

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Senator calls out USPS leadership as first-class financial failures

Senate Democrats are telling the Postal Service to rethink its 10-year reform plan. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and six of her colleagues are concerned about USPS mail volume, which has plummeted to a 40-year low. The senators are also skeptical about plans to grow the package business, which is not bringing in enough money to make up the difference. They warn that higher mail prices are also driving away more USPS customers and that the agency is falling short of its break-even goal. The senators are calling on members of…

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Oil and gas industry petitions to block pipeline monitoring rule that cites Enbridge failures

Two oil and gas industry groups have filed a petition in hopes of eliminating a Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) rule that would better hold them accountable. The American Petroleum Institute (API) and GPA Midstream want to halt the implementation of the “Pipeline Safety: Unusually Sensitive Areas for the Great Lakes, Coastal Beaches, and Certain Coastal Waters” rule that went into effect last month. The rule explicitly cites API member Enbridge’s failures with its Line 5 and Line 6B pipelines as to why stricter regulations must take effect. According to the…

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