House chair to hold hearing on proposed secure government network

A House subcommittee chairman on Tuesday announced plans to hold an oversight hearing on the Bush administration's proposed government-only Internet called Govnet.

Virginia Republican Tom Davis, chairman of the House Government Reform Technology and Procurement Policy Subcommittee, said he plans to hold the hearing in late January or early February.

Davis told attendees at a breakfast discussion on government procurement of information technology that he is working closely with government officials analyzing private-sector proposals for Govnet.

"I am going to work with ... the National Security Council to ensure that the government develops a sound business plan with realistic goals for such a large and complex acquisition," Davis said, according to his press secretary, David Marin.

During the breakfast, Davis also noted that the government spent $45 billion on IT purchases the past fiscal year.