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President Signs AI Executive Order

William Attardi on June 19, 2026

President Trump signed an executive order on June 2 establishing a voluntary federal framework to address cybersecurity risks posed by advanced artificial intelligence systems. The final order asks developers of the most advanced AI models to voluntarily submit their systems for government review 30 days before public release, down from a previously proposed 90-day review period. The goal is to give federal agencies time to assess potential threats to financial systems, critical infrastructure, and national security networks. As AI-driven technologies are adopted across the economy, cybersecurity requirements throughout the electrical supply chain are likely to expand. The order signals growing federal attention to AI-related cyber risks, which could lead to new security expectations for distributors supporting energy infrastructure, industrial automation, smart buildings, data centers, and grid modernization projects. Washington Wire: Trade, Energy, Labor, and AI Policy Updates – tEDmag

DOE Announces New Pathway to Test Advanced Reactors

William Attardi on June 26, 2025

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the start of a new pilot program to expedite the testing of advanced nuclear reactor designs under DOE authority outside of the national laboratories.  In accordance with President Trump’s Executive Order, Reforming Nuclear Reactor Testing at the Department of Energy. This action represents an important step toward streamlining nuclear reactor testing and ensuring at least three reactors achieve criticality by July 4, 2026. DOE Announces New Pathway to Test Advanced Reactors – electrifiED

Remembering the Solemn Purpose of Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States observed on the last Monday in May to honor and mourn U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the armed forces. The holiday traces its roots to the years immediately following the American Civil War (1861–1865), which caused massive casualties—roughly 620,000 soldiers dead, about 2% of the U.S. population at the time. Communities across the North and South began spontaneously decorating the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers, wreaths, and flags, a practice that gave rise to the original name: Decoration Day. On May 5, 1868, Major General John A. Logan, commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR)—a powerful Union veterans’ organization—issued General Order No. 11. This proclaimed May 30, 1868, as a nationwide “Decoration Day” to honor those who died in the Civil War. After World War I, the holiday expanded to honor all American service members who died in any war, not just the Civil War.  In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act to create more three-day weekends for federal employees. This moved Memorial Day to the last Monday in May, effective in 1971, when it was also officially named “Memorial Day.” As one 1868 quote put it: “That Nation which respects and honors its dead, shall ever be respected and honored itself.”