Lawmakers and Regulators Recognize Crypto and Blockchain Present Unique Problems for Traditional Enforcement Mechanisms
Congressional Democrats Seek Increased Oversight Into Crypto Matters Following Ransomware Attacks A group of Democratic senators and congressmen are calling on the Department of Justice, the State Department, the Department of the Treasury, and Homeland Security to beef up efforts to protect against the recent wave of ransomware attacks. The group, comprised of senators...
Read MoreDOJ Announces Creation of Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team
On October 6, 2021, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) announced the creation of the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (“NCET”) to investigate and prosecute criminal misuses of cryptocurrency. NCET’s particular focus will be on crimes committed by virtual currency exchanges, mixing and tumbling services, and money laundering infrastructure actors, to include the tracing and recovery...
Read MoreCivil Cyber-Fraud Initiative to Hold Government Contractors Responsible for Cybersecurity
On October 6, 2021, the Department of Justice (DoJ) announced the Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative (the “Initiative”) to combat cyber threats, specifically to sensitive information and critical systems of the United States Government (USG). In launching the Initiative, Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco made clear that a primary focus of the Initiative is to...
Read MoreFAR Council, CAAC, and DoD Release COVID-19 Guidance
The FAR Council, the Department of Defense (“DoD”), and the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council (“CAAC”) have released guidance for federal government contractors on COVID-19 safeguards required by President Biden’s September 9, 2021, Executive Order 14042 (the “Order”) and the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force’s September 24, 2021, Guidance, COVID-19 Workplace Safety: Guidance for Federal...
Read MoreCivilian Agency Acquisition Council (“CAAC”) Memorandum: Class Deviation Regarding Executive Order 14042 Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors
On September 30, 2021, the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council (“CAAC”) released a memorandum authorizing all civilian United States government agencies to issue a class deviation to implement Executive Order 14042, “Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors.” Attached to the CAAC memo is a FAR Deviation Clause (the “Clause”) that CAAC states “is...
Read MoreFederal Vaccine Mandate Requires Contractor Employees To Be Fully Vaccinated By December 8, 2021
Federal contractor employees—with some limited exceptions—must be vaccinated by December 8, 2021 per guidance released by the Biden administration on Friday.1 The mandate applies to part- and full-time employees of contractors (or subcontractors) who are working either directly on or “in connection with” a contract, including indirect support of a contract like “human resources, billing,...
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