Senators Lieberman, Burns Introduce
E-Government Bill
Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) and Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.) introduced a bill May 1 calling for the U.S. government to establish a federal Chief Information Officer (CIO) and an advisory council to maximize government effectiveness in using information technology. The E-Government Act of 2001 (S. 803) also directs the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution, the National Science Foundation, the National Park Service, and other government entities to collaborate with private and nonprofit organizations in the creation of an “online national library.”
At a press conference in Washington on National Library Legislative Day, Lieberman told an audience packed with librarians that the bill would “provide the leadership and resources necessary to leverage the Internet and other information technologies to create a more accountable, accessible, and cost-effective government.” American Library Association President Nancy Kranich hailed the proposal as “comprehensive legislation that specifically recognizes the public’s need for equal, ready, and equitable access to government information.”
The bill would allocate roughly $225 million annually and include a federal information technology training center, community technology centers, and an advisory board to work with the CIO on forming preservation, accessibility, and usability standards and practices. Lieberman said he expects the “cyberspace-breaking legislation” to move swiftly with bipartisan support.
Posted May 7, 2001.
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