[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4061 Reported in House (RH)]
Union Calendar No. 140
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4061
[Report No. 109-256]
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the management of
information technology within the Department of Veterans Affairs by
providing for the Chief Information Officer of that Department to have
authority over resources, budget, and personnel related to the support
function of information technology, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 17, 2005
Mr. Buyer (for himself, Mr. Evans, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Strickland, Mr.
Everett, Mr. Brown of South Carolina, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Filner, Mr.
Gutierrez, Ms. Corrine Brown of Florida, Mr. Reyes, Ms. Ginny Brown-
Waite of Florida, Mr. Burton of Indiana, Mr. Udall of New Mexico, Mr.
Bradley of New Hampshire, Mr. Moran of Kansas, and Mr. Turner)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs
October 27, 2005
Additional sponsors: Ms. Herseth, Ms. Berkley, Mr. Michaud, and Ms.
Hooley
October 27, 2005
Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union
and ordered to be printed
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the management of
information technology within the Department of Veterans Affairs by
providing for the Chief Information Officer of that Department to have
authority over resources, budget, and personnel related to the support
function of information technology, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Department of Veterans Affairs
Information Technology Management Improvement Act of 2005''.
SEC. 2. MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS.
(a) Resources, Budget, and Personnel Authority of Chief Information
Officer.--Section 310 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by
adding at the end the following new subsections:
``(c) To support the economical, efficient, and effective execution
of the information technology objectives, policies, and plans of the
Department in support of Department goals, the Secretary shall ensure
that the Chief Information Officer has the authority and control
necessary for the development, approval, implementation, integration,
and oversight of policies, procedures, processes, activities, and
systems of the Department relating to the management of information
technology for the Department, including the management of all related
mission applications, information resources, personnel, and
infrastructure.
``(d)(1) The Secretary, acting through the Chief Information
Officer, shall develop, implement, and maintain a process for the
selection and oversight of information technology for the Department.
``(2) As components of the development of the process required by
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall develop for the Department--
``(A) an information technology strategic plan that
includes performance measurements; and
``(B) an integrated enterprise architecture.
``(3) The information technology strategic plan shall set forth a
multiyear plan for the use of information technology and related
resources to support the accomplishment of the Department's mission.
``(4) The Chief Information Officer shall review and update the
information technology strategic plan and the integrated enterprise
architecture on an ongoing basis to maintain the currency of the plan
and the currency of the enterprise architecture with technological
changes and changing mission needs of the Department.
``(e)(1) Funds may be obligated for information technology for the
Department only in accordance with the process implemented under
paragraph (1) or as otherwise specifically authorized or delegated by
the Chief Information Officer or as otherwise directed by the
Secretary.
``(2)(A) Amounts appropriated for the Department for any fiscal
year that are available for information technology shall be allocated
within the Department, consistent with the provisions of appropriations
Acts, in such manner as may be specified by, or approved by, the Chief
Information Officer.
``(B) If for any fiscal year amounts referred to in subparagraph
(A) that are available for the Veterans Health Administration (or are
otherwise available for functions relating to medical care) are to be
allocated under subparagraph (A) in a manner that is inconsistent with
the allocation method known as the Veterans Equitable Resource
Allocation, such allocation may be made only with the approval of the
Secretary and after the Under Secretary for Health is notified.
``(3) When the budget for any fiscal year is submitted by the
President to Congress under section 1105 of title 31, the Secretary
shall submit to Congress a report that identifies amounts requested for
information technology for the Department. The report shall set forth
those amounts both for each Administration within the Department and
for the Department in the aggregate and shall identify, for each such
amount, how that amount is aligned with and supports the information
technology strategic plan under subsection (d), as then in effect.
``(f)(1) The Chief Information Officer shall select the Chief
Information Officer for each of the Veterans Health Administration, the
Veterans Benefits Administration, and the National Cemetery
Administration. Any such selection may only be made after consultation
with the Under Secretary with responsibility for the Administration for
which the selection is to be made.
``(2) Each Administration Chief Information Officer selected under
paragraph (1)--
``(A) shall be designated as a Department Deputy Chief
Information Officer; and
``(B) shall report to the Department Chief Information
Officer.
``(3) The Department Deputy Chief Information Officers are
responsible for implementing in their respective Administrations, as
directed by the Department Chief Information Officer, the information
technology strategic plan and the integrated enterprise architecture
developed for the Department by the Department Chief Information
Officer pursuant to subsection (d)(2).
``(4) To accomplish the policies, programmatic goals, information
technology system acquisitions, and alignments prescribed, authorized,
or directed by the Department Chief Information Officer, each
Department Deputy Chief Information Officer shall maintain, for their
respective Administrations, operational control of all information
technology system assets and personnel necessary, including direct
management of the Administration's software and applications
development activities.
``(5) The Department Deputy Chief Information Officers--
``(A) shall be the principal advocate for the information
technology needs of their respective Administrations; and
``(B) shall assure, by coordinating with the Department
Chief Information Officer, that the business and mission needs
of their respective Administrations are met by considering
requirements at all levels.
``(g)(1) The Secretary shall ensure that the annual report
submitted by the Secretary pursuant to section 11313 of title 40
includes an identification of any obligation approved by the Chief
Information Officer under subsection (e)(1), including the date,
amount, and purpose of such obligation.
``(2) The Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans'
Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives an annual report,
not later than March 1 of each year (beginning in 2009), providing the
Secretary's assessment of the implementation during the year covered by
the report of the provisions of subsections (c), (d), and (e). Each
such report shall include--
``(A) the assessment of the Secretary as to increased
efficiency within the Department of information technology
acquisition processes, management, responsibility, and
accountability as a result of those provisions; and
``(B) estimated cost savings to the Department as a result
of those provisions.
``(h) In this section, the term `information technology' has the
meaning given that term in paragraph (6) of section 11101 of title
40.''.
(b) Reports to Congress on Implementation.--
(1) Periodic progress reports.--
(A) Reports required.--The Secretary of Veterans
Affairs shall submit to Congress progress reports on
the implementation of subsections (c), (d), and (e), of
section 310 of title 38, United States Code, as added
by subsection (a).
(B) Time for progress reports.--A report under
subparagraph (A) shall be submitted as expeditiously as
feasible after the end of the 60-day period, the 90-day
period, and the 180-day period beginning on the date of
the enactment of this Act.
(C) Matter to be included.--Each report under this
paragraph shall set out the progress to date on the
implementation of the provisions specified in
subparagraph (A).
(2) Interim reports.--After the completion of the first 12
months, and after the completion of the first 18 months, of the
implementation of the provisions specified in paragraph (1)(A),
the Secretary shall submit to Congress an interim report on the
operation of those provisions to that date. Each such report
shall include the following:
(A) The assessment of the Secretary as to increased
efficiency within the Department of Veterans Affairs of
information technology acquisition processes,
management, responsibility, and accountability.
(B) Estimated cost savings to the Department as a
result of those provisions.
(3) Final implementation report.--Not later than January 1,
2008, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a final report on
the implementation of the provisions specified in paragraph
(1)(A). The Secretary shall include in that report the matters
specified in paragraph (2) and the Secretary's recommendation
for any modifications to information technology management
within the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Union Calendar No. 140
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4061
[Report No. 109-256]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the management of
information technology within the Department of Veterans Affairs by
providing for the Chief Information Officer of that Department to have
authority over resources, budget, and personnel related to the support
function of information technology, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
October 27, 2005
Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union
and ordered to be printed