[House Document 106-70]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
106th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 106-70
_______________________________________________________________________
TRANSFERS FROM THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS AND RELATED EXPENSES
ACCOUNT
COMMUNICATION
from
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
transmitting
A REQUEST OF TRANSFERS FROM THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS AND
RELATED EXPENSES ACCOUNT
May 25, 1999.--Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and ordered
to be printed
__________
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
69-012 WASHINGTON : 1999
The White House,
Washington, May 24, 1999.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Sir: In accordance with provisions of Public Law 105-277,
the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental
Appropriations Act, 1999, I hereby request the following
transfers from the Information Technology Systems and Related
Expenses account:
General Services Administration--General Activities, Policy
and Operations: $7,108,000.
Federal Trade Commission--Salaries and Expenses:
$2,049,000.
Funding provided to the General Services Administration
will be used to support the efforts of the Year 2000 Conversion
Council. Funding provided to the Federal Trade Commission will
be used for remediation and testing of information technology
systems.
I hereby designate the above requests as emergency
requirements pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced
Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended.
The details of these actions 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. 16, 106th Congress, 1st Session]
Executive Office of the President,
Office of Management and Budget,
Washington, DC, May 24, 1999.
The President,
The White House.
Submitted for your consideration are requests to transfer
$9 million from the Information Technology Systems and Related
Expenses Account for year 2000 (Y2K) compliance to the General
Services Administration (GSA) and the Federal Trade Commission
(FTC). This is the sixth release of contingent emergency
funding for Y2K from funds appropriated in Public Law 105-277,
the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental
Appropriations Act, 1999. On November 6, 1998, you allocated
$891 million; on December 8, 1998, you allocated $338 million;
on February 3, 1999, you allocated $240 million; on March 5,
1999 you allocated $62 million; and on April 2, 1999, you
allocated $199 million. In addition, $30 million in emergency
funding was released to the Legislative and Judicial Branches
when you signed Public Law.
The contingent emergency funding provided in Public Law
105-277--$1.1 billion for defense-related activities and $2.25
billion for non-defense activities--has enabled Federal
agencies to respond effectively to unanticipated Y2K-related
issues, helping to accelerate the pace towards compliance
Government-wide. With this release of funds, a total of $496
million remains in the contingent emergency reserve for non-
defense activities. This total includes $14 million that was
allocated to the Department of Energy on February 3rd but was
not transferred because the House Appropriations Committee did
not consider the Department's planned activities an appropriate
use of emergency funding. The Department has withdrawn its
request and is working with the Committee to seek other sources
of funding for these activities. Of the $1.1 billion provided
for the Department of Defense, $935 million was allocated on
February 16, 1999. The remainder $135 million, continues to be
held in reserve for unanticipated requirements.
The funding released for the GSA will support the Y2K
Conversion Council's efforts to communicate important
information about the Federal Government's Y2K readiness, as
well as readiness in key infrastructure areas and within State
and local governments, to communities across the Nation. The
Council will facilitate, endorse, and support a series of ``Y2K
Community Conversations'' designed to address public concern by
engaging public and private sector leaders in a dialogue that
will provide an accurate picture of Y2K readiness from the
community to the national level. Funding provided to the FTC
will be used for remediation and testing of information
technology systems, as well as to upgrade a non-compliant
security system.
As noted in the March 1999 Quarterly Report on Y2K
Conversion, Federal agencies are making good progress in
addressing he Y2K problem and are working to ensure that there
is a smooth transition in the delivery of important services.
OMB continues its oversight and is working to ensure that
agencies have sufficient FY 1999 resources to address Y2K-
related issues, that those resources are being utilized
efficiently, and that flexible contingent emergency funding
remains available to address unanticipated needs as the
transition into the year 2000 approaches.
Pursuant to the requirements of Public Law 105-277, OMB
will prepare and submit reports to Congress on the proposed
allocation and plan for each affected agency to achieve Y2K
compliance for technology information systems before funds can
be released to the agency. The report for agencies represented
in this sixth release of Y2K contingent emergency funds will be
transmitted tot he congressional committees specified in P.L.
105-277 concurrent with this request for release of the funds.
In addition, OMB has directed each affected agency to provide
detailed justification materials in support of its plan and
allocation to the relevant appropriations subcommittees.
I recommend that you designate the amounts listed on the
enclosure as emergency requirements in accordance with section
251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985, as amended. No further congressional
action will be required. Pursuant to P.L. 105-277, funds will
be made available to agencies 15 days after this designation is
forwarded to Congress.
I have carefully reviewed these proposals and am satisfied
that they are necessary at this time. Therefore, I join the GSA
Administrator and the FTC Chairman in recommending that you
make the requested funds available by signing the enclosed
letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Sincerely,
Jacob J. Lew,
Director.
Enclosure.
Emergency Appropriations: Amounts Previously Appropriated Made
Available by the President
Year 2000 (Y2K) Conversion
General Services Administration--General Activities,
Policy and Operations............................... $7,108,000
Federal Trade Commission--Salaries and Expenses......... 2,049,000
The funding released for the GSA will support the Y2K
Conversion Council's efforts to communicate important
information about the Federal Government's Y2K readiness, as
well as readiness in key infrastructure areas and within State
and local governments, to communities across the Nation.
Funding provided to the FTC will be used for remediation and
testing of information technology systems, as well as to
upgrade a non-complaint security system.