Thousands of contracts highlight quiet ties between Big Tech and U.S. military

Over the past two years, thousands of tech company employees have taken a stand: they do not want their labor and technical expertise to be used for projects with the military or law enforcement agencies.

Knowledge of such contracts, however, hasn’t been easy for tech workers to come by.

On Wednesday, newly published research from the technology accountability nonprofit Tech Inquiry revealed that the Department of Defense and federal law enforcement agencies including Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Federal Bureau of Prisons, have secured thousands of deals with Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Dell, IBM, Hewlett Packard and even Facebook that have not been previously reported.

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US government’s Huawei ban moving too fast, contractors say

WASHINGTON ― With the Trump administration poised to impose a government-wide ban on contractors using Huawei and other Chinese-made telecommunications equipment, trade groups say that companies, still reeling from the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic, should get more time.

The administration plans to finalize regulations that would prohibit government contracting with companies whose supply chains contain products from five Chinese companies including Huawei, Reuters reported Thursday. The administration, confronting China on trade and a host of issues, has deemed Huawei an espionage threat.

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$190 Million in COVID-19 Relief for Small Businesses, Higher Education, and Nonprofit Organizations

ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Larry Hogan today announced $190 million in relief to help colleges, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In total, over the last week, the governor has announced $475 million in new investments through the federal CARES Act.

“As Maryland continues to grapple with an unprecedented fiscal crisis, we are directing more than $475 million in federal resources to critical sectors of our economy,” said Governor Hogan. “These resources will help make a difference in areas where they are needed most.”

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