CLINTON ADMINISTRATION MOVES TO EMPOWER OMB TO ESTABLISH A LOCATOR SYSTEM

[David Farber <farber@central.cis.upenn.edu>]

"FYI - note this is based on Z39.50 (actually to be fair, WAIS). The
most recent draft involves Z39.50 -199[2?4] compatibility,
with a profile being developed."


2. CLINTON ADMINISTRATION MOVES TO EMPOWER OMB TO ESTABLISH A
LOCATOR SYSTEM: The Clinton Administration moved on 10/28 to give
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) the statutory authority
to establish a government-wide, agency-based, information locator
system. The mandate is contained in Title XIV of H.R. 3400,
legislation introduced by House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt,
D-MO, for the purpose of implementing the Gore Report on
"Reinventing Government." Title XIV (Reinventing Support Services)
authorizes the transfer of executive branch printing functions out
of the Government Printing Office (GPO). Section 14009 of the
aforementioned title, "Establishment and Operation of Government
Information Locator Service," directs the OMB to establish and
maintain "a distributed agency-based electronic government
information locator system supported by agency inventory systems
which identify significant public information holdings." The bill
would also "require each agency having significant information
dissemination products to establish and maintain a comprehensive
inventory of such products."