Senators seek to restore cuts in e-gov programs

A pair of senators are pressing for restoring federal spending for online government services.

Governmental Affairs Committee ranking Democrat Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut and Montana Republican Conrad Burns asked Senate Appropriations Committee leaders Monday to replace $45 million in cuts made to funds earmarked for the provision of electronic government services.

"The legislation will improve management of electronic government initiatives, enhancing access to government information and services over the Internet and better utilizing information technologies to improve government's efficiency and effectiveness," Lieberman and Burns wrote in a letter to Sens. Ted Stevens, R-Ala., and Robert Byrd, D-W.Va.

President Bush requested the funding in his fiscal 2003 budget.

Lieberman spearheaded legislation to authorize funding for e-government initiatives over the next six years, which the Senate approved in November. The current budget for 2003 passed by the Senate allocates $5 million for e-government projects.