[House Document 105-306]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
105th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 105-306
EMERGENCY FUNDING FOR YEAR 2000 (Y2K) COMPUTER CONVERSION ACTIVITIES
__________
COMMUNICATION
from
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
transmitting
A REQUEST TO CONGRESS TO CONSIDER EXPEDITIOUSLY THE REQUEST FOR $3.25
BILLION IN FY 1998 CONTINGENT EMERGENCY FUNDING FOR YEAR 2000 (Y2K)
COMPUTER CONVERSION ACTIVITIES
September 11, 1998.--Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and
ordered to be printed
The White House,
Washington, September 2, 1998.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Sir: I ask Congress to consider expeditiously the enclosed
request for $3.25 billion in FY 1998 contingent emergency
funding for year 2000 (Y2K) computer conversion activities.
My FY 1999 Budget requested more than $1 billion for known
requirements associated with Y2K computer conversion. In
addition, the budget anticipated that requirements would emerge
over the course of the year and included an allowance to
provide flexible funding to address emerging needs. In fact,
additional needs for immediate one-time funding have been
arising, as anticipated. As more is learned about how to
address the Y2K problem, it will be essential to make the
necessary resources available quickly.
I support the Senate Appropriations Committee's action to
create a contingent emergency funding provision for Y2K
computer conversion requirements. This is consistent with my
budget. This supplemental request would create a funding
mechanism that is consistent with the Senate Appropriations
Committee's action to provide the resources and the flexibility
necessary to respond to critical unanticipated requirements.
The details of this request are set forth in the enclosed
letter from the Director of the Office of Management and
Budget. I concur with his comments and observations.
Sincerely,
William J. Clinton.
Enclosure.
Estimate No. 13, 105th Cong. 2nd Sess.
Executive Office of the President,
Office of Management and Budget,
Washington, DC, September 2, 1998.
The President,
The White House.
Submitted for your consideration is a request for an FY
1998 supplemental appropriation that would provide $3.25
billion in contingent emergency funding to address needs
associated with year 2000 (Y2K) computer conversion activities.
As you have directed, your Administration is committed to
ensuring that computer systems Government-wide correctly
process the year 2000. The FY 1999 Budget requested more that
$1 billion for Y2K computer conversion. In addition, the budget
anticipated that additional requirements would emerge over the
course of the year and included an allowance for emergencies
and other unanticipated needs. As we learn more about how to
address the critical Y2K problem, ensuring Government-wide
compliance will require flexibility to respond to unanticipated
requirements. To the extent such unanticipated requirements are
identified, it will be essential to make that funding available
quickly. Accordingly, this proposal for a contingent emergency
funding mechanism would provide the resources and the
flexibility necessary to respond quickly to unanticipated Y2K
conversion requirements.
The funds would be made available only upon your
transmittal of official budget requests to Congress designating
the specific amounts requested as emergency requirements
pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and
Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended. This
proposed supplemental would also require that OMB prepare and
submit reports to Congress on the proposed allocation and plan
for each affected Department and Agency to achieve year 2000
compliance for technology information systems before funds
could be released to the affected Departments or Agencies.
The Senate Committee version of the FY 1999 Treasury and
General Government Appropriations Bill contains a similar
contingent emergency funding provision for Y2K computer
conversion requirements that is consistent with the allowance
included in your budget request. The proposed FY 1998
supplemental is being requested now so that the emergency
funding can be enacted promptly, thereby avoiding the risk of
any interruption in Y2K work by the agencies and their
contractors. This would ensure that the critical funding would
be available promptly and avoid any delays or disruptions in
agency efforts to address this problem in fiscal year 1999.
I have carefully reviewed this proposal and am satisfied
that it is necessary at this time. Accordingly, I join the
Chair of the President's Council on year 2000 conversion in
recommending that you transmit the proposal to Congress.
Sincerely,
Jacob J. Lew, Director.
Enclosure.
FY 1998 SUPPLEMENTAL REQUEST
Executive Office of the President--Unanticipated Needs
Information Technology Systems and Related Expenses (Including Transfer
of Funds)
For emergency expenses related to year 2000 conversion of
Federal information technology systems, and related expenses,
$3,250,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2001.
Provided further, That the funds made available shall be
transferred, as necessary, by the Director of the Office of
Management and Budget to all affected Federal Departments and
Agencies for expenses necessary to ensure the information
technology that is used or acquired by the Federal Government
meets the definition of Year 2000 compliant under Federal
Acquisition Regulations (concerning accurate processing of
date/time data, including calculating, comparing, and
sequencing from, into, and between the twentieth and twenty-
first centuries, and the years 1999 and 2000 and leap year
calculations) and to meet other criteria for the year 2000
compliance as the head of each Department or Agency considers
appropriate. Provided further, That none of the funds provided
under this heading may be transferred to any Department or
Agency until the Director of the Office of Management and
Budget has submitted to the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations and the Senate Special Committee on the Year
2000 Technology Problem a proposed allocation and plan for that
Department or Agency to achieve year 2000 compliance for
technology information systems. Provided further, That the
transfer authority provided in this paragraph is in addition to
any other transfer authority contained elsewhere in this or any
other Act: Provided further, That funds provided under this
heading shall be in addition to funds available in this or any
other Act for year 2000 compliance by any Federal Department or
Agency: Provided further, That the $3,250,000,000 shall be
available only to the extent that an official budget request
that includes designation of the entire amount of the request
as an emergency requirements as defined in the Balanced Budget
and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended, is
transmitted by the President to Congress: Provided further,
That the $3,250,000,000 is designated by the Congress as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A) of such
Act.
This request would provide the resources and the
flexibility necessary for the President to respond quickly to
unanticipated requirements associated with year 2000 (Y2K)
computer conversion activities.
The FY 1999 Budget requested more than $1 billion for Y2K
computer conversion. In addition, the budget anticipated that
additional requirements would emerge over the course of the
year and included an allowance for emergencies and other
unanticipated needs. It is expected that ensuring Government-
wide Y2K compliance will require flexibility to respond to
unanticipated requirements. To the extent such unanticipated
requirements are identified, this request for contingent
emergency funding will enable the resources to be made
available quickly.