IP: Bush admin plans to "reassign" IT funds already appropriated

[David Farber <dfarber@earthlink.net>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Warren <jwarren@well.com>
Date: Tue, 09 Jul 2002 10:27:37 
To: Dave Farber <dave@farber.net>, Declan McCullagh <declan@well.com>
Subject: Bush admin plans to "reassign" IT funds already appropriated

At 09:46 AM -0400 07/09/02, "Patrice  McDermott" 
<pmcdermott@alawash.org> wrote:
>http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2002/0708/fcw-edit-07-08-02.asp 
>
>OMB's new hand
>
>  Editorial
>
>  July 8, 2002
>
>
>  The Bush administration has pulled out a budgetary trump card, 
>citing a little noticed provision in the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996 
>giving it the power to cut or move funding for information 
>technology programs - even if Congress already appropriated money 
>for the program. This card could change the game considerably, and 
>the administration would do well to collaborate with agencies and 
>Congress when they play it.
>
>  Norman Lorentz, chief technology officer at the Office of 
>Management and Budget, said last month that the administration 
>planned to exercise a provision of Clinger-Cohen that gives OMB the 
>authority to cut or move funding for redundant and underperforming 
>IT programs. This obscure power is one of the most powerful weapons 
>in OMB's arsenal to implement its E-Government Strategy, part of 
>which entails consolidating similar IT programs scattered throughout 
>agencies and cutting IT spending in general.
>
>  OMB is certainly headed for a tussle with Congress, which doesn't 
>want its dictates for IT spending changed substantially, and with 
>government IT workers, who will be affected by the changes. Some 
>members of Congress have already said OMB should be ready for a 
>fight. Other longtime federal IT experts with agency and OMB 
>experience are a bit surprised by the agency's bravado.
>
>[...]

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