The House Science Committee plans to focus the federal government's information technology research funding under one long-term authorization bill, according to a letter from Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr., R-WI, sent last week to the head of the House Appropriations Committee.
Funding for information technology research has been spread across numerous federal agencies and bills that authorize funding for those agencies. But Sensenbrenner wants to put IT funding under one five-year authorization bill, which he plans to introduce by the end of the month. This would allow lawmakers to keep better track of funding and streamline the programs to avoid duplication, a congressional aide said.
The letter to House Appropriations Committee Chairman C.W. Bill Young, R-Fla., was meant to ensure that appropriators do not think the Science Committee favors zeroing out spending for information technology even though the various authorization bills the panel has crafted for agencies that do such research include no funding in fiscal 2000.
The Science Committee and other authorizing committees outline program priorities and policy, while appropriators actually provide the money for such programs. Funding for IT programs will still be spread out across several appropriations bills even if Sensenbrenner's authorization bill clears Congress.
In its FY2000 budget, the Clinton administration also proposed putting IT research under one umbrella and proposed a 28 percent increase in funding for the initiative known as the "Information Technology for the 21st Century."
"After reviewing the administration's recommendations, I have reached the conclusion that a single comprehensive long-term authorization for research on the fundamental science and engineering issues which form the foundation of our nation's information economy is preferable to a short term piece-meal approach," Sensenbrenner wrote.
Sensenbrenner will outline his proposal during a June 1 luncheon sponsored by the bipartisan TechNet lobby at Intel headquarters in Santa Clara, CA. He also will solicit input on the legislation from the group's members. Among those expected to attend the luncheon are former Netscape CEO James Barksdale and 3Com CEO Eric Benhamou.