[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 848 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 848
To establish digital services in State and local governments, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 14, 2019
Ms. Harris introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish digital services in State and local governments, 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 ``Digital Service Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act--
(1) the term ``Administrator'' means the Administrator of
the United States Digital Service;
(2) the term ``digital service grant'' means a grant under
section 3(a);
(3) the term ``digital service team'' means a team of
technologists, designers, civil servants, and other relevant
experts dedicated to modernizing the delivery of government
services to the public through information technology;
(4) the term ``eligible applicant'' means a State, Indian
Tribe, or unit of local government that has received not more
than 1 digital service grant;
(5) the term ``Indian Tribe'' has the meaning given the
term ``Indian tribe'' in section 4(e) of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304(e));
(6) the term ``State'' has the meaning given that term in
section 901 of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe
Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10251); and
(7) the term ``unit of local government'' means a city,
county, township, town, borough, parish, village, or other
general purpose political subdivision of a State.
SEC. 3. DIGITAL SERVICE GRANTS.
(a) In General.--The Administrator may make a grant to an eligible
applicant to establish or support a digital service team.
(b) Application.--An eligible applicant desiring a digital service
grant shall submit an application at such time, in such manner, and
containing such information as the Administrator may specify.
(c) Initial Grant Preference.--Among eligible applicants that have
not previously received a digital service grant, the Administrator
shall give preference to an eligible applicant if--
(1) the chief executive officer of the eligible entity has
publicly demonstrated a commitment to modernizing government
technology and service delivery;
(2) the eligible entity has officially designated an
officer of the eligible entity to have responsibility for
functions relating to the digital services of the eligible
entity, such as a Chief Technology Officer, Chief Innovation
Officer, or Chief Digital Services Officer, and such functions
are recognized as distinct from management and operations of
traditional information technology; or
(3) the eligible entity demonstrates a rigorous commitment
to digital delivery of government services in such manner as
the Administrator determines appropriate.
(d) Continuing Grants.--The Administrator may make not more than 1
additional digital service grant to an eligible applicant that has
previously received a digital service grant if the eligible applicant--
(1) has a demonstrated record of successful digital
delivery of government services, including through the use of
the first digital service grant; and
(2) articulates clearly the government service delivery
projects the eligible applicant would carry out with the grant.
(e) Grant Period.--The Administrator shall award digital service
grants for a period of 2 years.
(f) Continuity of Funding.--To the maximum extent practicable, the
Administrator shall award digital service grants described in
subsection (d) in a manner that ensures that there is not a break in
funding between the initial digital service grant and the grant
described in subsection (d).
(g) Grant Amount.--The annual amount of a digital service grant
shall be equal to the lesser of--
(1) in dollars, the amount equal to the sum of--
(A) the population served by the eligible
applicant; and
(B) 200,000; or
(2) $2,500,000.
(h) Use of Funds.--Not less than 50 percent of the amount received
under a digital service grant shall be used for salary and benefits of
the members of the digital service team.
(i) Matching Requirement.--The Federal share of an activity carried
out using a digital service grant shall be not more than 80 percent.
SEC. 4. REPORTING.
(a) By Recipients.--Not later than the end of the period of a
digital service grant, the recipient of the digital service grant shall
submit to the Administrator and make publicly available on the website
of the recipient a brief report describing--
(1) the skills and areas of expertise of the members of the
digital service team established or supported using amounts
made available under the grant;
(2) projects undertaken using amounts made available under
the grant, including a discussion of the impact of those
projects;
(3) lessons learned from implementing the projects
described in paragraph (2);
(4) the information technology projects the recipient
intends to implement next; and
(5) any other information determined appropriate by the
Administrator.
(b) To Congress and Public.--Not later than September 30, 2022, and
every 2 years thereafter, the Administrator shall submit to Congress
and make publicly available on the website of the United States Digital
Service a report that summarizes--
(1) the digital service grants applied for and made; and
(2) the uses and impacts of digital service grants, based
on the reports received under subsection (a).
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) Amounts To Carry Out This Act.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Administrator to carry out this Act $15,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2020 through 2027.
(b) Amounts To Carry Out the Mission of the USDS.--In addition to
the amounts authorized to be appropriated under subsection (a), there
are authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator to carry out the
mission of the United States Digital Service $50,000,000 for each of
fiscal years 2020 through 2027.
(c) Availability.--Amounts made available pursuant to subsections
(a) and (b) shall remain available until expended.
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