[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 57 (Tuesday, May 1, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4101-S4115]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. LIEBERMAN (for himself, Mr. Burns, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. 
        Fitzgerald, Mr. Daschle, Mr. McCain, Mr. Carper, Mr. Durbin, 
        Mr. Johnson, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Leahy, and Mr. Levin):
  S. 803. A bill to enhance the management and promotion of electronic 
Government services and processes by establishing a Federal Chief 
Information Officer within the Office of Management and Budget, and by 
establishing a broad framework of measures that require using Intermet-
based information technology to enhance citizen access to Goernment 
information and services, and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Governmental Affairs.
  Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to introduce with my 
colleagues the ``Electronic Government Act of 2001''. Members of both 
parties understand that using new information technologies wisely can 
create a better

[[Page S4102]]

government more in touch with the needs of the public. That's why I am 
happy to be joined in this endeavor by such a distinguished group of 
original co-sponsors, namely Senators Burns, Bingaman, Fitzgerald, 
Daschle, McCain, Carper, Durbin, Johnson, Kerry, Leahy, and Levin. Our 
legislation will provide the leadership, coordination, expertise, and 
resources necessary to utilize the Internet and create a more 
efficient, citizen-oriented government. Harnessing the Internet and 
other information technologies to deliver government programs, 
services, and information more effectively is critical to ensure that 
the Federal government remains a vital, positive presence in society.
  Efforts to promote electronic government, which is still in its 
infancy, are advancing around the world. Federal, state, and local 
governments are using web-based technologies to enhance citizen access 
to information, provide round-the-clock services, save money on 
procurement and other transactions, and stimulate citizen 
participation. Citizens who have discovered the benefits of conducting 
business with government from their homes, and when it is convenient 
for them, are using the Internet to file their taxes, renew licenses 
and registrations, apply for college loans, and bid on government 
contracts. In some cases businesses are able to use the Internet to get 
advice about existing regulatory requirements and citizens to comment 
on proposed rules.
  These examples are exciting and encouraging. However, the reality is 
that all but a handful of the applications now being put online by 
Federal agencies are developed in relative isolation. E-Government 
currently is a loose-knit mix of ideas, projects, and affiliations 
often not well coordinated, sometimes overlapping in its goals and 
redundant in its expenditures. Though there are some remarkable 
innovations championed by visionary government employees, many other 
efforts are hampered by traditional models of government management, 
and ``stove-pipe'' conceptions of agency jurisdiction. We are in 
essence taking the often confusing, overlapping and inefficient maze of 
government programs as they now exist and simply transferring them onto 
the Internet.
  This is not the best way forward. We can and must take full advantage 
of information technologies to overcome the often arbitrary boundaries 
that exist between agencies, and to provide the public with seamless, 
secure online services. A functional approach focuses on delivering 
services to the citizen, organized according to the citizens' needs, 
and without regard to where the jurisdiction of one agency stops and 
another begins. The greatest challenge in many cases is realizing how 
the new technologies have created new opportunities, and reconfiguring 
government processes accordingly. Seizing these opportunities will 
require leadership, coordination, and meaningful communication with 
agency decision-makers.
  This legislation is designed to help accomplish that goal, first by 
establishing a Federal Chief Information Officer, or CIO, in the Office 
of Management and Budget. As many have pointed out, a Federal CIO is 
essential to provide government-wide coordination, leadership, and 
visibility to e-Government efforts. In fact, a recent survey revealed 
that 49 state governments already have Chief Information Officers to 
address government-wide information technology issues. The Federal CIO 
will have the necessary ties to relevant government agencies so that 
she or he is able to lead e-Government efforts, and will also work 
closely with state and local governments, with the private and non-
profit sectors, and with the public. The Federal CIO will review 
agencies' information technology planning and performance, will ensure 
compliance with existing information statutes, and will be empowered to 
address other issues of concern such as online privacy and computer 
security.

  The CIO will also direct expenditures from an E-Government Fund, 
which would promote the innovative, cross-agency projects that are 
extremely difficult to fund at present but absolutely necessary for the 
kind of integrated service delivery possible today. The legislation 
authorizes $200 million for each of the next three years for the Fund, 
and contains criteria governing its use. Every year the federal 
government spends $40 billion on information technology, and not always 
efficiently. In comparison the E-Government Fund represents a modest 
investment in a new kind of government venture: the virtual realignment 
of government services and information in pursuit of citizen-centered 
government.
  Many of the improvements achieved by this legislation will be 
accessible from a centralized online government portal, which will 
build on the FirstGov website launched last year by the General 
Services Administration. The FirstGov website is an important first 
step, but there is much room for improvement. In those instances where 
agencies have cooperated to create truly integrated websites, as with 
Students.gov, the portal provides a demonstration of how citizens 
accessing the government through a single website may easily reach a 
wide range of information and services. But this type of site is the 
exception. Our E-Government bill will lead to more integrated sites, 
linked to the centralized portal. It will also create a directory of 
government web pages, so that citizens can easily find the help they 
need with a few clicks of the mouse rather than with cumbersome 
searches that often produce hundreds of thousands of results, sometimes 
in no discernable order.
  New information technologies can be harnessed in many creative ways 
to better serve the public. Among other provisions, the legislation 
will expand online access to judicial information, establish an online 
national library, and promote research into how information 
technologies can be used to improve our planning for and response to 
natural disasters. The Internet can also be used to facilitate public 
participation in democratic processes, as the Department of 
Transportation has proven; its docketing system has been placed 
entirely on-line, so that individuals can easily find the rulemaking 
that interests them, review comments, and file comments of their own 
from a home computer. Our bill requires other regulatory agencies to 
establish similar systems. Of course, the provisions in our bill only 
scratch the surface of what is possible. More importantly, the 
legislation establishes a process by which our government can transform 
itself.
  Our citizens will not be fully comfortable engaging in transactions 
over the Internet unless they are confident that their personal 
information is kept secure and private. That's why the E-Government Act 
contains strong new protections requiring agencies to complete detailed 
assessments of privacy considerations when they procure new information 
systems or initiate new collections of personal information. The bill 
also empowers the Federal CIO to review agencies' computer security 
plans.
  This legislation is a work in progress. The bill already reflects the 
input and insights of many individuals and organizations, including 
those who participated in the E-Government interactive web site 
launched by Senator Thompson and myself last year. I also want to 
acknowledge the important contribution made by Senator Bingaman; we 
have incorporated his share-in-savings legislation from the last 
Congress as a provision. Because this is a work in progress, we will 
continue to seek comments and feedback on the legislation, and I expect 
that this bill's provisions will change as we work to achieve a broad 
consensus. E-Government should not be a partisan issue; it concerns how 
we will respond to the opportunities of today and tomorrow to achieve a 
more responsive government for us all. I hope to work with the 
Administration, which has already expressed an interest in e-
government, with Senators from both parties, and with others committed 
to this issue, to develop a bill that we can all support.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the legislation and a 
section by section analysis be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 803

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

       (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``E-
     Government Act of 2001''.

[[Page S4103]]

       (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act 
     is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings and purposes.

TITLE I--OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET ELECTRONIC GOVERNMENT SERVICES

Sec. 101. Federal Chief Information Officer.
Sec. 102. Office of Information Policy and Office of Information and 
              Regulatory Affairs.
Sec. 103. Management and promotion of electronic Government services.

  TITLE II--FEDERAL MANAGEMENT AND PROMOTION OF ELECTRONIC GOVERNMENT 
                                SERVICES

Sec. 201. Federal agency responsibilities.
Sec. 202. Compatibility of executive agency methods for use and 
              acceptance of electronic signatures.
Sec. 203. Online Federal telephone directory.
Sec. 204. Online National Library.
Sec. 205. Federal courts.
Sec. 206. Regulatory agencies.
Sec. 207. Integrated reporting feasibility study and pilot projects.
Sec. 208. Online access to federally funded research and development.
Sec. 209. Common protocols for geographic information systems.
Sec. 210. Share-In-Savings Program improvements.
Sec. 211. Enhancing crisis management through advanced information 
              technology.
Sec. 212. Federal Information Technology Training Center.
Sec. 213. Community technology centers.
Sec. 214. Disparities in access to the Internet.
Sec. 215. Accessibility, usability, and preservation of Government 
              information.
Sec. 216. Public domain directory of Federal Government websites.
Sec. 217. Standards for agency websites.
Sec. 218. Privacy protections.
Sec. 219. Accessibility to people with disabilities.
Sec. 220. Notification of obsolete or counterproductive provisions.

     TITLE III--AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS AND EFFECTIVE DATE

Sec. 301. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 302. Effective date.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
       (1) The use of computers and the Internet is rapidly 
     transforming societal interactions and the relationships 
     among citizens, private businesses, and the Government.
       (2) The Federal Government has had uneven success in 
     applying advances in information technology to enhance 
     Governmental functions and services, achieve more efficient 
     performance, and increase access to Government information 
     and citizen participation in Government.
       (3) Most Internet-based services of the Federal Government 
     are developed and presented separately, according to the 
     jurisdictional boundaries of an individual department or 
     agency, rather than being integrated cooperatively according 
     to function.
       (4) Internet-based Government services involving 
     interagency cooperation are especially difficult to develop 
     and promote, in part because of a lack of funding mechanisms 
     to support such interagency cooperation.
       (5) To take full advantage of the improved Government 
     performance that can be achieved through the use of Internet-
     based technology requires new leadership, better 
     organization, improved interagency collaboration, and more 
     focused oversight of agency compliance with statutes related 
     to information resource management.
       (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are the following:
       (1) To provide effective leadership of Federal Government 
     efforts to develop and promote electronic Government services 
     and processes by establishing a Federal Chief Information 
     Officer within the Office of Management and Budget.
       (2) To establish measures that require using Internet-based 
     information technology to enhance citizen access to 
     Government information and services, improve Government 
     efficiency and reduce Government operating costs, and 
     increase opportunities for citizen participation in 
     Government.
       (3) To promote interagency collaboration in providing 
     electronic Government services, where this collaboration 
     would improve the service to citizens by integrating related 
     function.
       (4) To promote interagency collaboration in the use of 
     internal electronic Government processes, where this 
     collaboration would improve the efficiency and effectiveness 
     of the processes.

TITLE I--OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET ELECTRONIC GOVERNMENT SERVICES

     SEC. 101. FEDERAL CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER.

       (a) Establishment.--Section 502 of title 31, United States 
     Code, is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsections (d), (e), and (f), as 
     subsections (e), (f), and (g), respectively; and
       (2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following:
       ``(d) The Office has a Federal Chief Information Officer 
     appointed by the President, by and with the advice and 
     consent of the Senate. The Federal Chief Information Officer 
     shall provide direction, coordination, and oversight of the 
     development, application, and management of information 
     resources by the Federal Government.''.
       (b) Compensation.--Section 5313 of title 5, United States 
     Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``Federal Chief Information Officer.''.
       (c) Modification of Deputy Director for Management 
     Functions.--Section 503(b)(2)(D) of title 31, United States 
     Code, is amended by striking ``and statistical policy'' and 
     inserting ``collection review''.
       (d) Office of Information Policy.--
       (1) In general.--Chapter 5 of title 31, United States Code, 
     is amended by inserting after section 506 the following:

     ``Sec. 507. Office of Information Policy

       ``The Office of Information Policy, established under 
     section 3503 of title 44, is an office in the Office of 
     Management and Budget.''.
       (2) Technical and conforming amendment.--The table of 
     sections for chapter 5 of title 31, United States Code, is 
     amended by inserting after the item relating to section 506 
     the following:

``507. Office of Information Policy.''.
       (e) Privacy Act Functions.--
       Section 552a(v) of title 5, United States Code (commonly 
     referred to as the Privacy Act) is amended to read as 
     follows:
       ``(v) Office of Management and Budget Responsibilities.--
     The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall--
       ``(1) develop and, after notice and opportunity for public 
     comment, prescribe guidelines and regulations for the use of 
     agencies in implementing the provisions of this section;
       ``(2) provide continuing assistance to and oversight of the 
     implementation of this section by agencies; and
       ``(3) delegate all of the functions to be performed by the 
     Director under this section to the Federal Chief Information 
     Officer.''.
       (f) Acquisitions of Information Technology.--
       (1) Responsibilities and functions.--Section 5111 of the 
     Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996 (40 U.S.C. 1411) is amended--
       (A) by inserting ``(a) In General.--'' before ``In 
     fulfilling''; and
       (B) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(b) Delegation.--The Director shall delegate all of the 
     responsibilities and functions to be performed by the 
     Director under this title to the Federal Chief Information 
     Officer.''.
       (2) Information technology acquisition pilot programs.--
     Section 5301(a)(1) of the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996 (40 
     U.S.C. 1471(a)(1)) is amended by striking ``Administrator for 
     the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs'' and 
     inserting ``Federal Chief Information Officer''.
       (g) Federal Computer Systems Standards and Guidelines.--
       (1) Promulgation.--Section 5131 of the Clinger-Cohen Act of 
     1996 (40 U.S.C. 1441) is amended--
       (A) by striking ``Secretary of Commerce'' each place it 
     appears and inserting ``Federal Chief Information Officer'' 
     in each such place; and
       (B) by striking ``Secretary'' each place it appears and 
     inserting ``Federal Chief Information Officer'' in each such 
     place.
       (2) Submission.--Section 20(a)(4) of the National Institute 
     of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278g-3(a)(4)) is 
     amended by striking ``Secretary of Commerce'' and inserting 
     ``Federal Chief Information Officer''.
       (h) Information Technology Fund.--Section 110(a) of the 
     Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (40 
     U.S.C. 757(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(3) The Administrator's decisions with regard to 
     obligations of and expenditures from the Fund shall be made 
     after consultation with the Federal Chief Information 
     Officer, with respect to those programs that--
       ``(A) promote the use of information technology to 
     agencies; or
       ``(B) are intended to facilitate the efficient management, 
     coordination, operation, or use of those information 
     technologies.''.
       (i) Electronic Government and Information Technologies.--
       (1) In general.--The Federal Property and Administrative 
     Services Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 471 et seq.) is amended by 
     inserting after section 112 the following:

     ``SEC. 113. ELECTRONIC GOVERNMENT AND INFORMATION 
                   TECHNOLOGIES.

       ``The Administrator of General Services shall consult with 
     the Federal Chief Information Officer on programs undertaken 
     by the General Services Administration to promote electronic 
     Government and the efficient use of information technologies 
     by Federal agencies.''.
       (2) Technical and conforming amendment.--The table of 
     sections for the Federal Property and Administrative Services 
     Act of 1949 is amended by inserting after the item relating 
     to section 112 the following:

``Sec. 113. Electronic Government and information technologies.''.

       (j) Government Paperwork Elimination.--The Government 
     Paperwork Elimination Act (44 U.S.C. 3504 note) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating sections 1709 and 1710 as sections 
     1710 and 1711, respectively; and
       (2) by inserting after section 1708 the following:

[[Page S4104]]

     ``SEC. 1709. DELEGATION OF FUNCTIONS TO FEDERAL CHIEF 
                   INFORMATION OFFICER.

       ``The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall 
     delegate all of the functions to be performed by the Director 
     under this title to the Federal Chief Information Officer.''.

     SEC. 102. OFFICE OF INFORMATION POLICY AND OFFICE OF 
                   INFORMATION AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS.

       (a) Establishment.--
       (1) In general.--Section 3503 of title 44, United States 
     Code, is amended to read as follows:

     ``Sec. 3503. Office of Information Policy and Office of 
       Information and Regulatory Affairs

       ``(a)(1) There is established in the Office of Management 
     and Budget an office to be known as the Office of Information 
     Policy.
       ``(2) The Office shall be administered by the Federal Chief 
     Information Officer established under section 502(d) of title 
     31. The Director shall delegate to the Federal Chief 
     Information Officer the authority to administer all functions 
     under this chapter, except those delegated to the 
     Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory 
     Affairs under subsection (b)(2). Any such delegation shall 
     not relieve the Director of responsibility for the 
     administration of such function.
       ``(b)(1) There is established in the Office of Management 
     and Budget an office to be known as the Office of Information 
     and Regulatory Affairs.
       ``(2) There shall be at the head of the Office an 
     Administrator who shall be appointed by the President, by and 
     with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Director shall 
     delegate to the Administrator the authority to administer all 
     functions under this chapter explicitly relating to 
     information collection review. Any such delegation shall not 
     relieve the Director of responsibility for the administration 
     of such functions.''.
       (2) Technical and conforming amendment.--The table of 
     sections for chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code, is 
     amended by striking the item relating to section 3503 and 
     inserting the following:

``3503. Office of Information Policy and Office of Information and 
              Regulatory Affairs.''.
       (b) Promotion of Information Technology.--Section 
     3504(h)(5) of title 44, United States Code, is amended by 
     inserting ``direct the Federal Chief Information Officer and 
     the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory 
     Affairs, acting jointly, to'' after ``(5)''.
       (c) Coordination of Information Collection Reviews.--
       (1) Information collection review.--Section 3502 of title 
     44, United States Code is amended--
       (A) by redesignating paragraphs (6) through (14) as 
     paragraphs (7) through (15), respectively; and
       (B) by inserting after paragraph (5) the following:
       ``(6) the term `information collection review' means those 
     functions described under section 3504(c) and related 
     functions;''.
       (2) Coordination.--Section 3504 of title 44, United States 
     Code, is amended--
       (A) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and
       (B) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
       ``(2) The Director shall ensure that the Office of 
     Information Policy and the Office of Information and 
     Regulatory Affairs coordinate their efforts in applying the 
     principles developed and implemented under this section to 
     information collection reviews.''.
       (d) References.--Reference in any Federal law, Executive 
     order, rule, regulation, or delegation of authority, or any 
     document of or relating to the Office of Information and 
     Regulatory Affairs or the Administrator of the Office of 
     Information and Regulatory Affairs, respectively, shall be 
     deemed a reference to--
       (1) the Office of Information Policy or the Federal Chief 
     Information Officer, respectively, with respect to functions 
     described under section 3503(a) of title 44, United States 
     Code (as amended by section 103 of this Act); and
       (2) the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs or the 
     Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory 
     Affairs, respectively, with respect to functions described 
     under section 3503(b) of such title (as amended by section 
     103 of this Act).
       (e) Additional Conforming Amendments.--
       (1) Recommended legislation.--After consultation with the 
     appropriate committees of Congress, the Director of the 
     Office of Management and Budget shall prepare and submit to 
     Congress recommended legislation containing technical and 
     conforming amendments to reflect the changes made by this 
     Act.
       (2) Submission to congress.--Not later than 6 months after 
     the effective date of this Act, the Director of the Office of 
     Management and Budget shall submit the recommended 
     legislation referred to under paragraph (1).

     SEC. 103. MANAGEMENT AND PROMOTION OF ELECTRONIC GOVERNMENT 
                   SERVICES.

       (a) In General.--Title 44, United States Code, is amended 
     by inserting after chapter 35 the following:

    ``CHAPTER 36--MANAGEMENT AND PROMOTION OF ELECTRONIC GOVERNMENT 
                                SERVICES

``Sec.
``3601. Definitions.
``3602. Federal Chief Information Officer functions.
``3603. Chief Information Officers Council.
``3604. E-Government Fund.

     ``Sec. 3601. Definitions

       ``In this chapter, the definitions under section 3502 shall 
     apply, and the term--
       ``(1) `Council' means the Chief Information Officers 
     Council established under section 3603;
       ``(2) `Cross-Sector Forum' means the Cross-Sector Forum on 
     Information Resources Management established under section 
     3602(a)(10);
       ``(3) `Fund' means the E-Government Fund established under 
     section 3604;
       ``(4) `interoperability' means the ability of different 
     software systems, applications, and services to communicate 
     and exchange data in an accurate, effective, and consistent 
     manner; and
       ``(5) `integrated service delivery' means the provision of 
     Internet-based Federal Government information or services 
     integrated according to function rather than separated 
     according to the boundaries of agency jurisdiction.

     ``Sec. 3602. Federal Chief Information Officer functions

       ``(a) Subject to the direction and approval of the Director 
     of the Office of Management Budget, and subject to 
     requirements of this chapter, the Federal Chief Information 
     Officer shall perform information resources management 
     functions as follows:
       ``(1) Perform all functions of the Director, including all 
     functions delegated by the President to the Director, 
     relating to information resources management.
       ``(2) Perform the following functions with respect to 
     information resources management:
       ``(A) Under section 5112 of the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996 
     (40 U.S.C. 1412), review agency budget requests related to 
     information technology capital planning and investment.
       ``(B) Under section 5113 of the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996 
     (40 U.S.C. 1413), evaluate the investments referred to under 
     subparagraph (A) with respect to performance and results.
       ``(C) Review legislative proposals related to information 
     technology capital planning and investment.
       ``(D) Advise the Director on the resources required to 
     develop and effectively operate and maintain Federal 
     Government information systems.
       ``(E) Recommend to the Director changes relating to 
     Governmentwide strategies and priorities for information 
     resources management.
       ``(3) Provide overall leadership and direction to the 
     executive branch on information policy by establishing 
     information resources management policies and requirements, 
     and by reviewing each agency's performance in acquiring, 
     using, and managing information resources.
       ``(4) Promote innovative uses of information technology by 
     agencies, particularly initiatives involving multiagency 
     collaboration, through support of pilot projects, research, 
     experimentation, and the use of innovative technologies.
       ``(5) Administer the distribution of funds from the E-
     Government Fund established under section 3604.
       ``(6) Consult with the Administrator of General Services 
     regarding the use of the Information Technology Fund 
     established under section 110 of the Federal Property and 
     Administrative Coordinate Services Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 
     757), and coordinate with the Administrator of General 
     Services regarding programs undertaken by the General 
     Services Administration to promote electronic Government and 
     the efficient use of information technologies by agencies.
       ``(7) Chair the Chief Information Officers Council 
     established under section 3603.
       ``(8) Establish and promulgate information technology 
     standards for the Federal Government under section 5131 of 
     the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996 (40 U.S.C. 1441) based on the 
     recommendations of the National Institute of Standards and 
     Technology, taking into account, if appropriate, 
     recommendations of the Chief Information Officers Council, 
     experts, and interested parties from the private and 
     nonprofit sectors and State, local, and tribal governments, 
     as follows:
       ``(A) Standards and guidelines for interconnectivity and 
     interoperability as described under section 3504.
       ``(B) Standards and guidelines for categorizing and 
     electronically labeling Federal Government electronic 
     information, to enhance electronic search capabilities.
       ``(C) Standards and guidelines for Federal Government 
     computer system efficiency and security.
       ``(9) Establish a regular forum for consulting and 
     communicating with leaders in information resources 
     management in the legislative and judicial branches to 
     encourage collaboration and enhance understanding of best 
     practices and innovative approaches in acquiring, using, and 
     managing information resources.
       ``(10) Establish a regular forum for consulting and 
     communicating with leaders in information resources 
     management in State, local, and tribal governments (including 
     the National Association of State Information Resources 
     Executives) to encourage collaboration and enhance 
     understanding of best

[[Page S4105]]

     practices and innovative approaches in acquiring, using, and 
     managing information resources.
       ``(11) Establish a regular forum for consulting and 
     communicating with program managers and leaders in 
     information resources management in the regulatory executive 
     branch agencies to encourage collaboration and enhance 
     understanding of best practices and innovative approaches 
     related to the acquisition, use, and management of 
     information resources in regulatory applications.
       ``(12) Establish a Cross-Sector Forum on Information 
     Resources Management, subject to the Federal Advisory 
     Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.), as a periodic colloquium with 
     representatives from Federal agencies (including Federal 
     employees who are not supervisors or management officials as 
     such terms are defined under section 7103(a) (10) and (11), 
     respectively) and the private, nonprofit, and academic 
     sectors, to encourage collaboration and enhance understanding 
     of best practices and innovative approaches in acquiring, 
     using, and managing information resources. The Cross-Sector 
     Forum shall be used for the following:
       ``(A) To develop innovative models for Government 
     information resources management and for Government 
     information technology contracts. These models may be 
     developed through focused Cross-Sector Forum discussions or 
     using separately sponsored research.
       ``(B) To identify opportunities for performance-based 
     shared-savings contracts as a means of increasing the 
     quantity and quality of Government information and services 
     available through the Internet.
       ``(C) To identify opportunities for public-private 
     collaboration in using Internet-based technology to increase 
     the efficiency of Government-to-business transactions.
       ``(D) To identify mechanisms for providing incentives to 
     program managers and other Government employees to develop 
     and implement innovative uses of information technologies.
       ``(E) To identify opportunities for public-private 
     collaboration in addressing the disparities in access to the 
     Internet and information technology.
       ``(F) To develop guidance to advise agencies and private 
     companies on any relevant legal and ethical restrictions.
       ``(13) Direct the establishment, maintenance, and promotion 
     of an integrated Internet-based system of delivering 
     Government information and services to the public. To the 
     extent practicable, the integrated system shall be designed 
     and operated according to the following criteria:
       ``(A) The provision of Internet-based Government 
     information and services integrated according to function 
     rather than separated according to the boundaries of agency 
     jurisdiction.
       ``(B) An ongoing effort to ensure that all Internet-based 
     Government services relevant to a given citizen activity are 
     available from a single point.
       ``(C) Standardized methods for navigating Internet-based 
     Government information and services.
       ``(D) The consolidation of Federal Government information 
     and services with Internet-based information and services 
     provided by State, local, and tribal governments.
       ``(14) Coordinate with the Administrator of the Office of 
     Federal Procurement Policy to ensure effective implementation 
     of electronic procurement initiatives.
       ``(15) Assist Federal agencies, the United States Access 
     Board, the General Services Administration, and the Attorney 
     General in--
       ``(A) implementing accessibility standards under section 
     508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. section 
     794d); and
       ``(B) ensuring compliance with those standards through the 
     budget review process and other means.
       ``(16) Administer the Office of Information Policy 
     established under section 3503.
       ``(b) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
     shall consult with the Federal Chief Information Officer on 
     each agency budget request and legislative proposal described 
     under subsection (a)(2).
       ``(c) The Federal Chief Information Officer shall appoint 
     the employees of the Office. The Director of the Office of 
     Management and Budget shall ensure that the Office of 
     Information Policy has adequate employees and resources to 
     properly fulfill all functions delegated to the Office and 
     the Federal Chief Information Officer.
       ``(d) There are authorized to be appropriated $15,000,000 
     for the establishment, maintenance, and promotion of the 
     integrated Internet-based system established under subsection 
     (a)(13) for fiscal year 2002, and such sums as are necessary 
     for fiscal years 2003 through 2006.

     ``Sec. 3603. Chief Information Officers Council

       ``(a) There is established in the executive branch a Chief 
     Information Officers Council.
       ``(b) The members of the Council shall be as follows:
       ``(1) The chief information officer of each agency 
     described under section 901(b) of title 31.
       ``(2) The chief information officer of the Central 
     Intelligence Agency.
       ``(3) The chief information officer of the Department of 
     the Army, the Department of the Navy, and the Department of 
     the Air Force, if chief information officers have been 
     designated for these departments under section 3506(a)(2)(B).
       ``(4) Any other officers or employees of the United States 
     designated by the Federal Chief Information Officer.
       ``(c)(1) The Federal Chief Information Officer shall be the 
     Chairman of the Council.
       ``(2)(A) The Deputy Chairman of the Council shall be 
     selected by the Council from among its members.
       ``(B) The Deputy Chairman shall serve a 1-year term, and 
     may serve multiple terms.
       ``(3) The Administrator of General Services shall provide 
     administrative and other support for the Council, including 
     resources provided through the Information Technology Fund 
     established under section 110 of the Federal Property and 
     Administrative Services Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 757).
       ``(d) The Council is designated the principal interagency 
     forum for improving agency practices related to the design, 
     acquisition, development, modernization, use, operation, 
     sharing, and performance of Federal Government information 
     resources. The Council shall perform the following functions:
       ``(1) Develop recommendations for the Federal Chief 
     Information Officer on Government information resources 
     management policies and requirements.
       ``(2) Assist the Federal Chief Information Officer in 
     developing and maintaining the Governmentwide strategic 
     information resources management plan required under section 
     3506.
       ``(3) Share experiences, ideas, best practices, and 
     innovative approaches related to information resources 
     management.
       ``(4) Assist the Federal Chief Information Officer in the 
     identification, development, and coordination of multiagency 
     projects and other innovative initiatives to improve 
     Government performance through the use of information 
     technology.
       ``(5) Provide recommendations to the Federal Chief 
     Information Officer regarding the distribution of funds from 
     the E-Government Fund established under section 3604.
       ``(6) Coordinate the development and use of common 
     performance measures for agency information resources 
     management under section 5123 of the Clinger-Cohen Act of 
     1996 (40 U.S.C. 1423).
       ``(7) Work as appropriate with the National Institute of 
     Standards and Technology to develop recommendations for the 
     Federal Chief Information Officer on information technology 
     standards developed under section 20 of the National 
     Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278g-3) 
     and promulgated under section 5131 of the Clinger-Cohen Act 
     of 1996 (40 U.S.C. 1441), as follows:
       ``(A) Standards and guidelines for interconnectivity and 
     interoperability as described under section 3504.
       ``(B) Standards and guidelines for categorizing and 
     electronically labeling Government electronic information, to 
     enhance electronic search capabilities.
       ``(C) Standards and guidelines for Federal Government 
     computer system efficiency and security.
       ``(8) Work with the Office of Personnel Management to 
     assess and address the hiring, training, classification, and 
     professional development needs of the Government related to 
     information resources management.

     ``Sec. 3604. E-Government Fund

       ``(a) There is established in the Treasury of the United 
     States an E-Government Fund, which shall be available without 
     fiscal year limitation.
       ``(b) The Fund shall be used to fund interagency 
     information technology projects, and other innovative uses of 
     information technology. The Fund shall be operated as 
     follows:
       ``(1) Any member of the Council, including the Federal 
     Chief Information Officer, may propose a project to be funded 
     from the Fund.
       ``(2) On a regular basis, an appropriate committee within 
     the Council shall review candidate projects for funding 
     eligibility, and make recommendations to the Federal Chief 
     Information Officer on which projects should be funded from 
     the Fund. The review committee shall consider the following:
       ``(A) The relevance of this project in supporting the 
     missions of the affected agencies and other statutory 
     provisions.
       ``(B) The usefulness of interagency collaboration on this 
     project in supporting integrated service delivery.
       ``(C) The usefulness of this project in illustrating a 
     particular use of information technology that could have 
     broader applicability within the Government.
       ``(D) The extent to which privacy and information security 
     will be provided in the implementation of the project.
       ``(E) The willingness of the agencies affected by this 
     project to provide matching funds.
       ``(F) The availability of funds from other sources for this 
     project.
       ``(3) After considering the recommendations of the Council, 
     the Federal Chief Information Officer shall have final 
     authority to determine which of the candidate projects shall 
     be funded from the Fund.
       ``(c) The Fund may be used to fund the integrated Internet-
     based system under section 3602(a)(13).
       ``(d) None of the funds provided from the Fund may be 
     transferred to any agency until 15 days after the Federal 
     Chief Information Officer has submitted to the Committees on 
     Appropriations of the Senate and the House of 
     Representatives, the Committee on Governmental Affairs of the 
     Senate, the Committee on Government Reform of the House

[[Page S4106]]

     of Representatives, and the appropriate authorizing 
     committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives, a 
     notification and description of how the funds are to be 
     allocated and how the expenditure will further the purposes 
     of this chapter.
       ``(e) The Federal Chief Information Officer shall submit an 
     annual report to the President and Congress on the operation 
     of the Fund. The report shall describe--
       ``(1) all projects which the Federal Chief Information 
     Officer has approved for funding from the Fund;
       ``(2) the results that have been achieved to date for these 
     funded projects; and
       ``(3) any recommendations for changes to the amount of 
     capital appropriated annually for the Fund, with a 
     description of the basis for any such recommended change.
       ``(f) There are authorized to be appropriated to the Fund 
     $200,000,000 in each of the fiscal years 2002 through 2004, 
     and such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2005 and 
     2006.''.
       (b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The table of 
     chapters for title 44, United States Code, is amended by 
     inserting after the item relating to chapter 35 the 
     following:

``36. Management and Promotion of Electronic Government Serv3601''.....

  TITLE II--FEDERAL MANAGEMENT AND PROMOTION OF ELECTRONIC GOVERNMENT 
                                SERVICES

     SEC. 201. FEDERAL AGENCY RESPONSIBILITIES.

       (a) In General.--The head of each agency shall be 
     responsible for--
       (1) complying with the requirements of this Act (including 
     the amendments made by this Act) and the related information 
     resource management policies and information technology 
     standards established by the Federal Chief Information 
     Officer;
       (2) ensuring that the policies and standards established by 
     the Federal Chief Information Officer and the Chief 
     Information Officers Council are communicated promptly and 
     effectively to all relevant managers with information 
     resource management responsibilities within their agency; and
       (3) supporting the efforts of the Federal Chief Information 
     Officer to develop, maintain, and promote an integrated 
     Internet-based system of delivering Federal Government 
     information and services to the public under chapter 36 of 
     title 44, United States Code (as added by section 103 of this 
     Act).
       (b) Chief Information Officers.--The Chief Information 
     Officer of each of the agencies designated under chapter 36 
     of title 44, United States Code (as added by section 103 of 
     this Act), shall be responsible for--
       (1) participating in the functions of the Chief Information 
     Officers Council; and
       (2) monitoring the implementation, within their respective 
     agencies, of information technology standards established by 
     the Federal Chief Information Officer, including common 
     standards for interconnectivity and interoperability, 
     categorization and labeling of Federal Government electronic 
     information, and computer system efficiency and security.
       (c) E-Government Status Report.--
       (1) In general.--Each agency shall compile and submit to 
     the Federal Chief Information Officer an E-Government Status 
     Report on the current status of agency information and agency 
     services available online.
       (2) Content.--Each report under this subsection shall 
     contain--
       (A) a list and brief description of the agency services 
     available online;
       (B) a list, by number and title, of the 25 most frequently 
     requested agency forms available online, annotated to 
     indicate which forms can be submitted to the agency 
     electronically; and
       (C) a summary of the type, volume, general topical areas, 
     and currency of agency information available online.
       (3) Submission.--Not later than March 1, of each year, each 
     agency shall submit a report under this subsection to the 
     Federal Chief Information Officer.
       (4) Consolidation of reports.--Section 3516(a)(2) of title 
     31, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (D); 
     and
       (2) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following:
       ``(C) Any E-Government Status Report under section 201(c) 
     of the E-Government Act of 2001.''.

     SEC. 202. COMPATIBILITY OF EXECUTIVE AGENCY METHODS FOR USE 
                   AND ACCEPTANCE OF ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES.

       (a) Electronic Signatures.--In order to fulfill the 
     objectives of the Government Paperwork Elimination Act 
     (Public Law 105-277; 112 Stat. 2681-749 through 2681-751), 
     each Executive agency (as defined under section 105 of title 
     5, United States Code) shall ensure that its methods for use 
     and acceptance of electronic signatures are compatible with 
     the relevant procedures and standards promulgated by the 
     Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
       (b) Bridge Authority for Digital Signatures.--The 
     Administrator of the General Services Administration shall 
     support the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
     by establishing the Federal bridge certification authority 
     which shall provide a central authority to allow efficient 
     interoperability among Executive agencies when certifying 
     digital signatures.
       (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated to the General Services Administration, to 
     ensure the development and operation of a Federal bridge 
     certification authority for digital signature compatibility, 
     $7,000,000 in fiscal year 2002, and such sums as may be 
     necessary for each fiscal year thereafter.

     SEC. 203. ONLINE FEDERAL TELEPHONE DIRECTORY.

       (a) In General.--
       (1) Development.--The Administrator of the General Services 
     Administration, in coordination with the Chief Information 
     Officers Council, shall develop and promulgate an online 
     Federal telephone directory.
       (2) Organization.--Information in the online Federal 
     telephone directory shall be organized and retrievable both 
     by function and by agency name.
       (3) Telephone directories.--Information compiled for 
     publication in the online Federal telephone directory shall 
     be provided to local telephone book publishers, to encourage 
     publication and dissemination of functionally arranged 
     directories in local Federal blue pages.
       (b) Executive Agencies.--
       (1) In general.--Each Executive agency (as defined under 
     section 105 of title 5, United States Code) shall publish an 
     online agency directory, accessible by electronic link from 
     the online Federal telephone directory.
       (2) Content.--Each agency directory--
       (A) shall include telephone numbers and electronic mail 
     addresses for principal departments and principal employees, 
     subject to security restrictions and agency judgment; and
       (B) shall be electronically searchable.

     SEC. 204. ONLINE NATIONAL LIBRARY.

       (a) In General.--The Director of the National Science 
     Foundation, the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, the 
     Director of the National Park Service, the Director of the 
     Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the Librarian 
     of Congress shall establish an Online National Library after 
     consultation with--
       (1) the private sector;
       (2) public, research, and academic libraries;
       (3) historical societies;
       (4) archival institutions; and
       (5) other cultural and academic organizations.
       (b) Functions.--The Online National Library--
       (1) shall provide public access to an expanding database of 
     educational resource materials, including historical 
     documents, photographs, audio recordings, films, and other 
     media as appropriate, that are significant for education and 
     research in United States history and culture;
       (2) shall be functionally integrated, so that a user may 
     have access to the resources of the Library without regard to 
     the boundaries of the contributing institutions; and
       (3) shall include educational resource materials across a 
     broad spectrum of United States history and culture, 
     including the fields of mathematics, science, technology, 
     liberal arts, fine arts, and humanities.
       (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purposes of 
     developing, expanding, and maintaining this Online National 
     Library, there are authorized to be appropriated--
       (1) to the National Science Foundation $5,000,000 in fiscal 
     year 2002, and such sums as may be necessary for each fiscal 
     year thereafter; and
       (2) to the Library of Congress $5,000,000 in fiscal year 
     2002, and such sums as may be necessary for each fiscal year 
     thereafter.

     SEC. 205. FEDERAL COURTS.

       (a) Individual Court Websites.--The Chief Justice of the 
     United States and the chief judge of each circuit and 
     district shall establish with respect to the Supreme Court or 
     the respective court of appeal or district (including the 
     bankruptcy court of that district) a website, that contains 
     the following information or links to websites with the 
     following information:
       (1) Location and contact information for the courthouse, 
     including the telephone numbers and contact names for the 
     clerk's office and justices' or judges' chambers.
       (2) Local rules and standing or general orders of the 
     court.
       (3) Individual rules, if in existence, of each justice or 
     judge in that court.
       (4) Access to docket information for each case.
       (5) Access to the substance of all written opinions issued 
     by the court, regardless of whether such opinions are to be 
     published in the official court reporter, in a text 
     searchable format.
       (6) Access to all documents filed with the courthouse in 
     electronic form, described under subsection (c)(2).
       (7) Any other information (including forms in a format that 
     can be downloaded) that the court determines useful to the 
     public.
       (b) Maintenance of Data Online.--
       (1) Update of information.--The information and rules on 
     each website shall be updated regularly and kept reasonably 
     current.
       (2) Closed cases.--Electronic files and docket information 
     for cases closed for more than 1 year are not required to be 
     made available online, except all written opinions with a 
     date of issuance after the effective date of this section 
     shall remain available online.
       (c) Electronic Filings.--
       (1) In general.--Each court shall make any document that is 
     filed electronically publicly available online. A court may 
     convert any document that is filed in paper form to 
     electronic form. To the extent such conversions are made, all 
     such electronic

[[Page S4107]]

     versions of the document shall be made available online.
       (2) Exceptions.--
       (A) In general.--Documents that are filed that are not 
     otherwise available to the public, such as documents filed 
     under seal, shall not be made available online.
       (B) Limitation.--
       (i) In general.--A party, witness, or other person with an 
     interest may file a motion with the court to redact any 
     document that would be made available online under this 
     section.
       (ii) Redaction.--A redaction under this subparagraph shall 
     be made only to--

       (I) the electronic form of the document made available 
     online; and
       (II) the extent necessary to protect important privacy 
     concerns.

       (C) Privacy concerns.--The Judicial Conference of the 
     United States may promulgate rules under this subsection to 
     protect important privacy concerns.
       (d) Dockets With Links to Documents.--The Judicial 
     Conference of the United States, in consultation with the 
     Federal Chief Information Officer, shall explore the 
     feasibility of technology to post online dockets with links 
     allowing all filings, decisions, and rulings in each case to 
     be obtained from the docket sheet of that case.
       (e) Cost of Providing Electronic Docketing Information.--
     Section 503(a) of the Judiciary Appropriations Act, 1992 (28 
     U.S.C. 1913 note) is amended in the first sentence by 
     striking ``shall hereafter'' and inserting ``may, only to the 
     extent necessary,''.
       (f) Time Requirements.--Not later than 2 years after the 
     effective date of this Act, the websites under subsection (a) 
     shall be established, except that access to documents filed 
     in electronic form shall be established not later than 4 
     years after that effective date.
       (g) Opt Out.--
       (1) In general.--
       (A) Election.--
       (i) Notification.--The Chief Justice of the United States 
     or a chief judge may submit a notification to the 
     Administrative Office of the United States Courts to elect 
     not to comply with any requirement of this section with 
     respect to the Supreme Court, a court of appeals, or district 
     (including the bankruptcy court of that district).
       (ii) Contents.--A notification submitted under this 
     subparagraph shall state--

       (I) the reasons for the noncompliance; and
       (II) the online methods, if any, or any alternative 
     methods, such court or district is using to provide greater 
     public access to information.

       (B) Exception.--To the extent that the Supreme Court, a 
     court of appeals, or district maintains a website under 
     subsection (a), the Supreme Court or that court of appeals or 
     district shall comply with subsection (b)(1).
       (2) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the effective date 
     of this Act, the Judicial Conference of the United States 
     shall submit a report to the Committees on Governmental 
     Affairs and the Judiciary of the Senate and the Committees on 
     Government Reform and the Judiciary of the House of 
     Representatives that--
       (A) contains all notifications submitted to the 
     Administrative Office of the United States Courts under this 
     subsection; and
       (B) summarizes and evaluates all notifications.

     SEC. 206. REGULATORY AGENCIES.

       (a) Information Provided by Agencies Online.--To the extent 
     practicable, each agency (as defined under section 551 of 
     title 5, United States Code) shall--
       (1) establish a website with information about that agency; 
     and
       (2) post on the website all information--
       (A) required to be published in the Federal Register under 
     section 552(a)(1) of title 5, United States Code; and
       (B) made available for public inspection and copying under 
     section 552(a) (2) and (5) of title 5, United States Code, 
     after the effective date of this section.
       (b) Compliance.--An agency may comply with subsection 
     (a)(2) by providing hypertext links on a website directing 
     users to other websites where such information may be found. 
     To the extent that an agency provides hypertext links, the 
     agency shall provide clear instructions to users on how to 
     access the information sought within the external website to 
     which the links direct users.
       (c) Submissions by Electronic Means.--To the extent 
     practicable, agencies shall accept submissions under section 
     553(c) of title 5, United States Code, by electronic means, 
     including e-mail and telefacsimile.
       (d) Electronic Docketing.--
       (1) In general.--To the extent practicable, agencies shall, 
     in consultation with the Federal Chief Information Officer, 
     and in connection with the forum established under section 
     3602(a)(10) of title 44, United States Code (as added by 
     section 103 of this Act), establish and maintain on their 
     websites electronic dockets for rulemakings under section 553 
     of title 5, United States Code.
       (2) Information available.--Agency electronic dockets shall 
     make publicly available online--
       (A) all agency notices, publications, or statements in 
     connection with each rulemaking; and
       (B) to the extent practicable, all submissions under 
     section 553(c) of title 5, United States Code, whether or not 
     submitted electronically.
       (e) Opt Out.--
       (1) In general.--
       (A) Notification.--An agency may submit a notification to 
     the Federal Chief Information Officer to elect to not comply 
     with any requirement of subsection (d).
       (B) Contents.--A notification submitted under this 
     paragraph shall state--
       (i) the reasons for the noncompliance; and
       (ii) the online methods, if any, or any alternative 
     methods, the agency is using to provide greater public access 
     to regulatory proceedings.
       (2) Report.--Not later than October 1, of each year, the 
     Federal Chief Information Officer shall submit a report to 
     the Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the 
     Committee on Government Reform of the House of 
     Representatives that--
       (A) contains all notifications submitted to the Federal 
     Chief Information Officer under this subsection; and
       (B) summarizes and evaluates all notifications.
       (f) Time Limitation.--To the extent practicable, agencies 
     shall implement subsections (a) and (b) not later than 2 
     years after the effective date of this Act, and subsection 
     (c) not later than 4 years after that effective date.

      SEC. 207. INTEGRATED REPORTING FEASIBILITY STUDY AND PILOT 
                   PROJECTS.

       (a) Purposes.--The purposes of this section are to--
       (1) enhance the interoperability of Federal information 
     systems;
       (2) assist the public, including the regulated community, 
     in electronically submitting information to agencies under 
     Federal requirements, by reducing the burden of duplicate 
     collection and ensuring the accuracy of submitted 
     information; and
       (3) enable any person to integrate and obtain similar 
     information held by 1 or more agencies under 1 or more 
     Federal requirements without violating the privacy rights of 
     an individual.
       (b) Definitions.--In this section, the term--
       (1) ``agency'' means an Executive agency as defined under 
     section 105 of title 5, United States Code; and
       (2) ``person'' means any individual, trust, firm, joint 
     stock company, corporation (including a government 
     corporation), partnership, association, State, municipality, 
     commission, political subdivision of a State, interstate 
     body, or agency or component of the Federal Government.
       (c) Report.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Federal Chief Information Officer 
     shall conduct a study and submit a report to the Committee on 
     Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
     Government Reform of the House of Representatives on the 
     feasibility of integrating Federal information systems across 
     agencies.
       (2) Content.--The report under this section shall--
       (A) address the feasibility of integrating data elements 
     used in the electronic collection of information within 
     databases established under Federal statute without reducing 
     the quality, accessibility, scope, or utility of the 
     information contained in each database;
       (B) address the feasibility of developing, or enabling the 
     development of, software, including Internet-based tools, for 
     use by reporting persons in assembling, documenting, and 
     validating the accuracy of information electronically 
     submitted to agencies under nonvoluntary, statutory, and 
     regulatory requirements; and
       (C) address the feasibility of developing a distributed 
     information system involving, on a voluntary basis, at least 
     2 agencies, that--
       (i) provides consistent, dependable, and timely public 
     access to the information holdings of 1 or more agencies, or 
     some portion of such holdings, including the underlying raw 
     data, without requiring public users to know which agency 
     holds the information;
       (ii) provides methods for input on improving the quality 
     and integrity of the data, including correcting errors in 
     submission, consistent with the need to archive changes made 
     to the data; and
       (iii) allows any person to integrate public information 
     held by the participating agencies;
       (D) address the feasibility of incorporating other elements 
     related to the purposes of this section at the discretion of 
     the Federal Chief Information Officer; and
       (E) make recommendations that Congress or the executive 
     branch can implement, through the use of integrated reporting 
     and information systems, to reduce the burden on reporting 
     and strengthen public access to databases within and across 
     agencies.
       (d) Pilot Projects To Encourage Integrated Collection and 
     Management of Data and Interoperability of Federal 
     Information Systems.--
       (1) In general.--In order to provide input to the study 
     under subsection (c) the Federal Chief Information Officer 
     shall implement a series of no more than 5 pilot projects 
     that integrate data elements. The Federal Chief Information 
     Officer shall consult with agencies, the regulated community, 
     public interest organizations, and the public on the 
     implementation.
       (2) Goals of pilot projects.--
       (A) In general.--Each goal described under subparagraph (B) 
     shall be addressed by at least 1 pilot project each.
       (B) Goals.--The goals under this paragraph are to--
       (i) reduce information collection burdens by eliminating 
     duplicative data elements within 2 or more reporting 
     requirements;

[[Page S4108]]

       (ii) create interoperability between or among public 
     databases managed by 2 or more agencies using technologies 
     and techniques that facilitate public access; and
       (iii) develop, or enable the development, of software to 
     reduce errors in electronically submitted information.
       (3) Input.--Each pilot project shall seek input from users 
     on the utility of the pilot project and areas for 
     improvement.
       (e) Consultation in Preparing the Report and Pilot 
     Project.--The Federal Chief Information Officer shall 
     coordinate with the Office of Information and Regulatory 
     Affairs, and to the extent practicable, shall work with 
     relevant agencies, and State, tribal, and local governments 
     in carrying out the report and pilot projects under this 
     section.
       (f) Privacy Protections.--The activities authorized in this 
     section shall afford protections for confidential business 
     information consistent with section 552(b)(4) of title 5, 
     United States Code and personal privacy information under 
     section 552a of title 5, United States Code and other 
     relevant law.

     SEC. 208. ONLINE ACCESS TO FEDERALLY FUNDED RESEARCH AND 
                   DEVELOPMENT.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section, the term--
       (1) ``essential information'' shall include--
       (A) information identifying any person performing research 
     and development under an agreement and the agency providing 
     the funding;
       (B) an abstract describing the research;
       (C) references to published results; and
       (D) other information determined appropriate by the 
     interagency task force convened under this section; and
       (2) ``federally funded research and development''--
       (A) shall be defined by the interagency task force, with 
     reference to applicable Office of Management and Budget 
     circulars and Department of Defense regulations; and
       (B) shall include funds provided to--
       (i) institutions other than the Federal Government; and
       (ii) Federal research and development centers.
       (b) Interagency Task Force.--The Federal Chief Information 
     Officer shall--
       (1) convene an interagency task force to--
       (A) review databases, owned by the Federal Government and 
     other entities, that collect and maintain data on federally 
     funded research and development to--
       (i) determine areas of duplication; and
       (ii) identify data that is needed but is not being 
     collected or efficiently disseminated to the public or 
     throughout the Government;
       (B) develop recommendations for the Federal Chief 
     Information Officer on standards for the collection and 
     electronic dissemination of essential information about 
     federally funded research and development that addresses 
     public availability and agency coordination and 
     collaboration; and
       (C) make recommendations to the Federal Chief Information 
     Officer on--
       (i) which agency or agencies should develop and maintain 
     databases and a website containing data on federally funded 
     research and development;
       (ii) whether to continue using existing databases, to use 
     modified versions of databases, or to develop another 
     database;
       (iii) the appropriate system architecture to minimize 
     duplication and use emerging technologies;
       (iv) criteria specifying what federally funded research and 
     development projects should be included in the databases; and
       (v) standards for security of and public access to the 
     data; and
       (2) not later than 1 year of the date of enactment of this 
     Act, after offering an opportunity for public comment, 
     promulgate standards and regulations based on the 
     recommendations, including a determination as to which agency 
     or agencies should develop and maintain databases and a 
     website containing data on federally funded research and 
     development.
       (c) Memberships.--The interagency task force shall consist 
     of the Federal Chief Information Officer and representatives 
     from--
       (1) the Department of Commerce;
       (2) the Department of Defense;
       (3) the Department of Energy;
       (4) the Department of Health and Human Services;
       (5) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration;
       (6) the National Archives and Records Administration;
       (7) the National Science Foundation;
       (8) the National Institute of Standards and Technology; and
       (9) any other agency determined by the Federal Chief 
     Information Officer.
       (d) Consultation.--The task force shall consult with--
       (1) Federal agencies supporting research and development;
       (2) members of the scientific community;
       (3) scientific publishers; and
       (4) interested persons in the private and nonprofit 
     sectors.
       (e) Development and Maintenance of Database and Website.--
       (1) In general.--
       (A) Database and website.--The agency or agencies 
     determined under subsection (b)(2), with the assistance of 
     any other agency designated by the Federal Chief Information 
     Officer, shall develop--
       (i) a database if determined to be necessary by the Federal 
     Chief Information Officer; and
       (ii) a centralized, searchable website for the electronic 
     dissemination of information reported under this section, 
     with respect to information made available to the public and 
     for agency coordination and collaboration.
       (B) Conformance to standards.--The website and any 
     necessary database shall conform to the standards promulgated 
     by the Federal Chief Information Officer.
       (2) Links.--Where the results of the federally funded 
     research have been published, the website shall contain links 
     to the servers of the publishers if possible. The website may 
     include links to other relevant websites containing 
     information about the research.
       (3) Other research.--The website may include information 
     about published research not funded by the Federal 
     Government, and links to the servers of the publishers.
       (4) Development and operation.--The Federal Chief 
     Information Officer shall oversee the development and 
     operation of the website. The website shall be operational 
     not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this 
     Act.
       (f) Provision of Information.--Any agency that funds 
     research and development meeting the criteria promulgated by 
     the Federal Chief Information Officer shall provide the 
     required information in the manner prescribed by the Federal 
     Chief Information Officer. An agency may impose reporting 
     requirements necessary for the implementation of this section 
     on recipients of Federal funding as a condition of the 
     funding.
       (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated for the development and maintenance of the 
     centralized website and any necessary database under this 
     section, $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2002, $5,000,000 in fiscal 
     year 2003, and such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 
     2004 through 2006.

     SEC. 209. COMMON PROTOCOLS FOR GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION 
                   SYSTEMS.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior, in 
     consultation with the National Institute of Standards and 
     Technology and other agencies, private sector experts, 
     commercial and international standards groups, and other 
     interested parties, shall facilitate the development of 
     common protocols for the development, acquisition, 
     maintenance, distribution, and application of geographic 
     information.
       (b) Federal Chief Information Officer.--The Federal Chief 
     Information Officer shall--
       (1) oversee the interagency initiative to develop common 
     protocols;
       (2) coordinate with State, local, and tribal governments 
     and other interested persons on aligning geographic 
     information; and
       (3) promulgate the standards relating to the protocols.
       (c) Common Protocols.--The common protocols shall be 
     designed to--
       (1) maximize the degree to which unclassified geographic 
     information from various sources can be made electronically 
     compatible; and
       (2) promote the development of interoperable geographic 
     information systems technologies that will allow widespread, 
     low-cost use and sharing of geographic data by Federal 
     agencies, State, local, and tribal governments, and the 
     public.

     SEC. 210. SHARE-IN-SAVINGS PROGRAM IMPROVEMENTS.

       Section 5311 of the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996 (divisions D 
     and E of Public Law 104-106; 110 Stat. 692; 40 U.S.C. 1491) 
     is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)--
       (A) by striking ``the heads of two executive agencies to 
     carry out'' and inserting ``heads of executive agencies to 
     carry out a total of five projects under'';
       (B) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (1);
       (C) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (2) and 
     inserting ``; and''; and
       (D) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(3) encouraging the use of the contracting and sharing 
     approach described in paragraphs (1) and (2) by allowing the 
     head of the executive agency conducting a project under the 
     pilot program--
       ``(A) to retain, out of the appropriation accounts of the 
     executive agency in which savings computed under paragraph 
     (2) are realized as a result of the project, up to the amount 
     equal to half of the excess of--
       ``(i) the total amount of the savings; over
       ``(ii) the total amount of the portion of the savings paid 
     to the private sector source for such project under paragraph 
     (2); and
       ``(B) to use the retained amount to acquire additional 
     information technology.'';
       (2) in subsection (b)--
       (A) by inserting ``a project under'' after ``authorized to 
     carry out''; and
       (B) by striking ``carry out one project and''; and
       (3) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:
       ``(c) Evolution Beyond Pilot Program.--(1) The 
     Administrator may provide general authority to the heads of 
     executive agencies to use a share-in-savings contracting 
     approach to the acquisition of information technology 
     solutions for improving mission-related or administrative 
     processes of the Federal Government if--
       ``(A) after reviewing the experience under the five 
     projects carried out under the pilot program under subsection 
     (a), the Administrator finds that the approach offers the 
     Federal Government an opportunity to improve its use of 
     information technology and to reduce costs; and
       ``(B) issues guidance for the exercise of that authority.

[[Page S4109]]

       ``(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1), a share-in-savings 
     contracting approach provides for contracting as described in 
     paragraph (1) of subsection (a) together with the sharing and 
     retention of amounts saved as described in paragraphs (2) and 
     (3) of that subsection.
       ``(3) In exercising the authority provided to the 
     Administrator in paragraph (1), the Administrator shall 
     consult with the Federal Chief Information Officer.
       ``(d) Availability of Retained Savings.--(1) Amounts 
     retained by the head of an executive agency under subsection 
     (a)(3) or (c) shall, without further appropriation, remain 
     available until expended and may be used by the executive 
     agency for any of the following purposes:
       ``(A) The acquisition of information technology.
       ``(B) Support for share-in-savings contracting approaches 
     throughout the agency including--
       ``(i) education and training programs for share-in-savings 
     contracting;
       ``(ii) any administrative costs associated with the share-
     in-savings contract from which the savings were realized; or
       ``(iii) the cost of employees who specialize in share-in-
     savings contracts.
       ``(2) Amounts so retained from any appropriation of the 
     executive agency not otherwise available for the acquisition 
     of information technology shall be transferred to any 
     appropriation of the executive agency that is available for 
     such purpose.''.

     SEC. 211. ENHANCING CRISIS MANAGEMENT THROUGH ADVANCED 
                   INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.

       (a) In General.--
       (1) Study on enhancement of crisis response.--Not later 
     than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
     Federal Emergency Management Agency shall enter into a 
     contract with the National Research Council of the National 
     Academy of Sciences to conduct a study on using information 
     technology to enhance crisis response and consequence 
     management of natural and manmade disasters.
       (2) Content.--The study under this subsection shall 
     address--
       (A) a research and implementation strategy for effective 
     use of information technology in crisis response and 
     consequence management, including the more effective use of 
     technologies, management of information technology research 
     initiatives, and incorporation of research advances into the 
     information and communications systems of--
       (i) the Federal Emergency Management Agency; and
       (ii) other Federal, State, and local agencies responsible 
     for crisis response and consequence management; and
       (B) opportunities for research and development on enhanced 
     technologies for--
       (i) improving communications with citizens at risk before 
     and during a crisis;
       (ii) enhancing the use of remote sensor data and other 
     information sources for planning, mitigation, response, and 
     advance warning;
       (iii) building more robust and trustworthy systems for 
     communications in crises;
       (iv) facilitating coordinated actions among responders 
     through more interoperable communications and information 
     systems; and
       (v) other areas of potential improvement as determined 
     during the course of the study.
       (3) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date on which 
     a contract is entered into under paragraph (1), the National 
     Research Council shall submit a report on the study, 
     including findings and recommendations to--
       (A) the Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate;
       (B) the Committee on Government Reform of the House of 
     Representatives; and
       (C) the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
       (4) Interagency cooperation.--The Federal Emergency 
     Management Agency and other Federal departments and agencies 
     with responsibility for disaster relief and emergency 
     assistance shall fully cooperate with the National Research 
     Council in carrying out this section.
       (5) Expedited processing of security clearances.--For the 
     purpose of facilitating the commencement of the study under 
     this section, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and 
     other relevant agencies shall expedite to the fullest extent 
     possible the processing of security clearances that are 
     necessary for the National Research Council.
       (6) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
     for research under this subsection, $800,000 for fiscal year 
     2002.
       (b) Pilot Projects.--Based on the results of the research 
     conducted under subsection (a), the Federal Chief Information 
     Officer shall initiate pilot projects with the goal of 
     maximizing the utility of information technology in disaster 
     management. The Federal Chief Information Officer shall 
     cooperate with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, other 
     relevant agencies, and, if appropriate, State, local, and 
     tribal governments, in initiating such pilot projects.

     SEC. 212. FEDERAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TRAINING CENTER.

       (a) In General.--In consultation with the Federal Chief 
     Information Officer, the Chief Information Officers Council, 
     and the Administrator of General Services, the Director of 
     the Office of Personnel Management shall establish and 
     operate a Federal Information Technology Training Center (in 
     this section referred to as the ``Training Center'').
       (b) Functions.--The Training Center shall--
       (1) analyze, on an ongoing basis, the personnel needs of 
     the Federal Government related to information technology and 
     information resource management;
       (2) design curricula, training methods, and training 
     schedules that correspond to the projected personnel needs of 
     the Federal Government related to information technology and 
     information resource management; and
       (3) recruit and train Federal employees in information 
     technology disciplines, as necessary, at a rate that ensures 
     that the Federal Government's information resource management 
     needs are met.
       (c) Curricula.--The curricula of the Training Center--
       (1) shall cover a broad range of information technology 
     disciplines corresponding to the specific needs of Federal 
     agencies;
       (2) shall be adaptable to achieve varying levels of 
     expertise, ranging from basic nonoccupational computer 
     training to expert occupational proficiency in specific 
     information technology disciplines, depending on the specific 
     information resource management needs of Federal agencies;
       (3) shall be developed and applied according to rigorous 
     academic standards; and
       (4) shall be designed to maximize efficiency through the 
     use of self-paced courses, online courses, on-the-job 
     training, and the use of remote instructors, wherever such 
     features can be applied without reducing training 
     effectiveness or negatively impacting academic standards.
       (d) Employee Participation.--Subject to information 
     resource management needs and the limitations imposed by 
     resource needs in other occupational areas, agencies shall 
     encourage their employees to participate in the occupational 
     information technology curricula of the Training Center.
       (e) Agreements for Service.--Employees who participate in 
     full-time training at the Training Center for a period of 6 
     months or longer shall be subject to an agreement for service 
     after training under section 4108 of title 5, United States 
     Code.
       (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Office of Personnel Management for 
     developing and operating the Training Center, $7,000,000 in 
     fiscal year 2002, and such sums as may be necessary for each 
     fiscal year thereafter.

     SEC. 213. COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY CENTERS.

       (a) Study and Report.--Not later than 2 years after the 
     effective date of this Act, the Secretary of Education, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary 
     of Housing and Urban Development, the National 
     Telecommunications and Information Administration, and the 
     Federal Chief Information Officer, shall--
       (1) conduct a study to evaluate the best practices of 
     community technology centers that receive Federal funds; and
       (2) submit a report on the study to--
       (A) the Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate;
       (B) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 
     of the Senate;
       (C) the Committee on Government Reform of the House of 
     Representatives; and
       (D) the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the 
     House of Representatives.
       (b) Content.--The report shall include--
       (1) an evaluation of the best practices being used by 
     successful community technology centers;
       (2) a strategy for--
       (A) continuing the evaluation of best practices used by 
     community technology centers; and
       (B) establishing a network to share information and 
     resources as community technology centers evolve;
       (3) the identification of methods to expand the use of best 
     practices to assist community technology centers, public 
     libraries, and other institutions that provide computer and 
     Internet access to the public;
       (4) a database of all community technology centers 
     receiving Federal funds, including--
       (A) each center's name, location, services provided, 
     director, other points of contact, number of individuals 
     served; and
       (B) other relevant information;
       (5) an analysis of whether community technology centers 
     have been deployed effectively in urban and rural areas 
     throughout the Nation; and
       (6) recommendations of how to--
       (A) enhance the development of community technology 
     centers; and
       (B) establish a network to share information and resources.
       (c) Cooperation.--All agencies that fund community 
     technology centers shall provide to the Department of 
     Education any information and assistance necessary for the 
     completion of the study and the report under this section.
       (d) Assistance.--
       (1) In general.--The Federal Chief Information Officer 
     shall work with the Department of Education, other relevant 
     Federal agencies, and other interested persons in the private 
     and nonprofit sectors to--
       (A) assist in the implementation of recommendations; and
       (B) identify other ways to assist community technology 
     centers, public libraries, and other institutions that 
     provide computer and Internet access to the public.
       (2) Types of assistance.--Assistance under this paragraph 
     may include--

[[Page S4110]]

       (A) contribution of funds;
       (B) donations of equipment, and training in the use and 
     maintenance of the equipment; and
       (C) the provision of basic instruction or training material 
     in computer skills and Internet usage.
       (e) Training Center.--The Federal Information Technology 
     Training Center established under section 212 of this Act 
     shall make applicable information technology curricula 
     available to members of the public through the community 
     technology centers.
       (f) Online Tutorial.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of Education, in 
     consultation with the Federal Chief Information Officer, the 
     National Science Foundation, and other interested persons, 
     shall develop an online tutorial that--
       (A) explains how to access information and services on the 
     Internet; and
       (B) provides a guide to available online resources.
       (2) Distribution.--The Secretary of Education shall 
     distribute information on the tutorial to community 
     technology centers, public libraries, and other institutions 
     that afford Internet access to the public.
       (g) Promotion of Community Technology Centers.--In 
     consultation with other agencies and organizations, the 
     Department of Education shall promote the availability of 
     community technology centers to raise awareness within each 
     community where such a center is located.
       (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Department of Education for the 
     study of best practices at community technology centers, for 
     the development and dissemination of the online tutorial, and 
     for the promotion of community technology centers under this 
     section $2,000,000 in fiscal year 2002, $2,000,000 in fiscal 
     year 2003, and such sums as are necessary in fiscal years 
     2004 through 2006.

     SEC. 214. DISPARITIES IN ACCESS TO THE INTERNET.

       (a) Study and Report.--Not later than 1 year after the 
     effective date of this Act--
       (1) the Federal Chief Information Officer shall enter into 
     an agreement with a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization to 
     conduct a study on disparities in Internet access across 
     various demographic distributions; and
       (2) the nonprofit, nonpartisan organization shall conduct 
     the study and submit a report to--
       (A) the Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate; 
     and
       (B) the Committee on Government Reform of the House of 
     Representatives.
       (b) Content.--The report shall include a study of--
       (1) how disparities in Internet access influence the 
     effectiveness of online Government services;
       (2) how the increase in online Government services is 
     influencing the disparities in Internet access; and
       (3) any related societal effects arising from the interplay 
     of disparities in Internet access and the increase in online 
     Government services.
       (c) Recommendations.--The report shall include 
     recommendations on actions to ensure that online Government 
     initiatives shall not have the unintended result of 
     increasing any deficiency in public access to Government 
     services.
       (d) Policy Considerations.--When promulgating policies and 
     implementing programs regarding the provision of services 
     over the Internet, the Federal Chief Information Officer and 
     agency heads shall--
       (1) consider the impact on persons without access to the 
     Internet; and
       (2) ensure that the availability of Government services has 
     not been diminished for individuals who lack access to the 
     Internet.
       (e) Technology Considerations.--To the extent feasible, the 
     Federal Chief Information Officer and agency heads shall 
     pursue technologies that make Government services and 
     information more accessible to individuals who do not own 
     computers or have access to the Internet.
       (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated $950,000 in fiscal year 2002 to carry out 
     this section.

     SEC. 215. ACCESSIBILITY, USABILITY, AND PRESERVATION OF 
                   GOVERNMENT INFORMATION.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section, the term--
       (1) ``agency'' has the meaning given under section 3502(1) 
     of title 44, United States Code;
       (2) ``Board'' means the Advisory Board on Government 
     Information established under subsection (b);
       (3) ``Government information'' means information created, 
     collected, processed, disseminated, or disposed of by or for 
     the Federal Government;
       (4) ``information'' means any communication or 
     representation of knowledge such as facts, data, or opinions, 
     in any medium or form, including textual, numerical, graphic, 
     cartographic, narrative, or audiovisual forms; and
       (5) ``permanent public access'' means the process by which 
     applicable Government information that has been disseminated 
     on the Internet is preserved for current, continuous, and 
     future public access.
       (b) Advisory Board.--
       (1) Establishment.--There is established the Advisory Board 
     on Government Information. The Board shall be subject to the 
     Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.).
       (2) Members.--The Federal Chief Information Officer shall 
     appoint the members of the Board who shall include 
     representatives from appropriate agencies and interested 
     persons from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.
       (3) Functions.--The Board shall conduct studies and submit 
     recommendations as provided by this section to the Federal 
     Chief Information Officer.
       (4) Termination.--The Board shall terminate 3 years after 
     the effective date of this Act.
       (c) Cataloguing and Indexing Standards.--
       (1) Agency functions.--
       (A) Reports.--Not later than 180 days after the effective 
     date of this Act, each agency shall submit a report to the 
     Board on all cataloguing and indexing standards used by that 
     agency, including taxonomies being used to classify 
     information.
       (B) Priorities and schedules.--Not later than 180 days 
     after the issuance of a circular or the promulgation of 
     proposed regulations under paragraph (3), each agency shall 
     consult with interested persons and develop priorities and 
     schedules for making the agency indexing and cataloguing 
     standards fully interoperable with other standards in use in 
     the Federal Government.
       (2) Board functions.--The Board shall--
       (A) not later than 1 year after the effective date of this 
     Act--
       (i) review cataloguing and indexing standards used by 
     agencies; and
       (ii) determine whether the systems using those standards 
     are generally recognized, in the public domain, and 
     interoperable; and
       (B) not later than 18 months after the effective date of 
     this Act--
       (i) consult interested persons;
       (ii) analyze and determine agency public domain standards 
     that are not fully interoperable with other standards; and
       (iii) recommend priorities and schedules for making such 
     standards fully interoperable.
       (3) Federal chief information officer functions.--
       (A) Prohibition of proprietary systems.--
       (i) In general.--After the submission of recommendations by 
     the Board under paragraph (2) and public notice and 
     opportunity for comment, the Federal Chief Information 
     Officer shall prohibit agencies from using any system the 
     Federal Chief Information Officer determines to be 
     proprietary.
       (ii) Waiver.--The Federal Chief Information Officer may 
     waive the application of clause (i), if the Federal Chief 
     Information Officer determines there is a compelling reason 
     to continue the use of the system.
       (B) Interoperability standards.--Not later than 18 months 
     after the effective date of this Act and after public notice 
     and opportunity for comment, the Office of Management and 
     Budget, acting through the Federal Chief Information Officer, 
     shall issue a circular or promulgate proposed and final 
     regulations requiring the interoperability standards of 
     cataloguing and indexing standards used by agencies.
       (d) Permanent Public Access Standards.--
       (1) Agency functions.--
       (A) Report to board.--Not later than 180 days after the 
     effective date of this Act, each agency shall submit a report 
     to the Board on any action taken by the agency to--
       (i) preserve public access to information disseminated by 
     the Federal Government on the Internet; and
       (ii) set standards and develop policies to ensure permanent 
     public access to information disseminated by the Federal 
     Government on the Internet.
       (B) Compliance with regulations.--Not later than 1 year 
     after the issuance of the circular or the promulgation of 
     final regulations under paragraph (3), and on October 1, of 
     each year thereafter, each agency shall submit a report on 
     compliance of that agency with such regulations to--
       (i) the Federal Chief Information Officer;
       (ii) the Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate; 
     and
       (iii) the Committee on Government Reform of the House of 
     Representatives.
       (2) Board functions.--
       (A) Recommended standards.--Not later than 30 months after 
     the effective date of this Act and after consultation with 
     interested persons, the Board shall submit recommendations to 
     the Federal Chief Information Officer on standards for 
     permanent public access to information disseminated by the 
     Federal Government on the Internet.
       (B) Contents.--The recommendations under subparagraph (A) 
     shall include--
       (i) a definition of the types of information to which the 
     standards apply; and
       (ii) the process by which an agency--

       (I) applies that definition to information disseminated by 
     the agency on the Internet; and
       (II) implements permanent public access.

       (3) Federal chief information officer functions.--
       (A) In general.--After the submission of recommendations by 
     the Board under paragraph (2) and public notice and 
     opportunity for comment, the Office of Management and Budget, 
     acting through the Federal Chief Information Officer, shall 
     issue a circular or promulgate proposed and final regulations 
     establishing permanent public access standards for agencies.
       (B) Compliance.--The Federal Chief Information Officer 
     shall--

[[Page S4111]]

       (i) work with agencies to ensure timely and ongoing 
     compliance with this subsection; and
       (ii) post agency reports on a centralized searchable 
     database, with a link to the integrated Internet-based system 
     established under section 3602(a)(13) of title 44, United 
     States Code, as added by this Act.
       (e) Inventories.--
       (1) Agency functions.--
       (A) In general.--
       (i) Inventories.--Not later than 180 days after the 
     effective date of this Act, each agency shall inventory 
     agency websites, including all directories and subdirectories 
     of such websites established by the agency or contractors of 
     the agency.
       (ii) Individual documents.--Nothing in this paragraph shall 
     preclude an agency from inventorying individual documents on 
     a website.
       (iii) Assistance.--The Federal Chief Information Officer 
     and the General Services Administration shall assist agencies 
     with inventories under this subsection.
       (B) Completion of inventory.--Each agency shall complete 
     inventories in accordance with the circular issued or 
     regulations promulgated under paragraph (3) and post the 
     inventories on the Internet.
       (2) Board functions.--Not later than 1 year after the 
     effective date of this Act, the Board shall--
       (A) consult with interested parties;
       (B) identify for inventory purposes all classes of 
     Government information, except classes of information--
       (i) the existence of which is classified; or
       (ii) is of such a sensitive nature, that disclosure would 
     harm the public interest; and
       (C) make recommendations on--
       (i) the classes of information to be inventoried; and
       (ii) how the information within those classes should be 
     inventoried.
       (3) Federal chief information officer functions.--
       (A) Guidance.--After submission of recommendations by the 
     Board under paragraph (2) and public notice and opportunity 
     for comment, the Office of Management and Budget, acting 
     through the Chief Information Officer, shall issue a circular 
     or promulgate proposed and final regulations to provide 
     guidance and requirements for inventorying under this 
     subsection.
       (B) Contents.--The circular or regulations under this 
     paragraph shall include--
       (i) requirements for the completion of inventories of some 
     portion of Government information identified by the Board;
       (ii) the scope of required inventories;
       (iii) a schedule for completion; and
       (iv) the classes of information required to be inventoried 
     by law.
       (C) Linking of inventories.--The Federal Chief Information 
     Officer shall link inventories posted by agencies under this 
     subsection to the integrated Internet-based system 
     established under section 3602(a)(13) of title 44, United 
     States Code, as added by this Act.
       (f) Statutory and Regulatory Review.--Not later than 180 
     days after the effective date of this Act, the General 
     Accounting Office shall--
       (1) conduct a review of all statutory and regulatory 
     requirements of agencies to list and describe Government 
     information;
       (2) analyze the inconsistencies, redundancies, and 
     inadequacies of such requirements; and
       (3) submit a report on the review and analysis to--
       (A) the Federal Chief Information Officer;
       (B) the Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate; 
     and
       (C) the Committee on Government Reform of the House of 
     Representatives.
       (g) Cataloguing and Indexing Determinations.--
       (1) Agency functions.--
       (A) Priorities and schedules.--Not later than 180 days 
     after the issuance of a circular or the promulgation of 
     proposed regulations under paragraph (3), each agency shall 
     consult with interested persons and develop priorities and 
     schedules for cataloguing and indexing Government 
     information. Agency priorities and schedules shall be made 
     available for public review and comment and shall be linked 
     on the Internet to an agency's inventories.
       (B) Compliance with regulations.--Not later than 1 year 
     after the issuance of the circular or the promulgation of 
     final regulations under paragraph (3), and on October 1, of 
     each year thereafter, each agency shall submit a report on 
     compliance of that agency with such circular or regulations 
     to--
       (i) the Federal Chief Information Officer;
       (ii) the Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate; 
     and
       (iii) the Committee on Government Reform of the House of 
     Representatives.
       (2) Board functions.--The Board shall--
       (A) not later than 1 year after the effective date of this 
     Act--
       (i) review the report submitted by the General Accounting 
     Office under subsection (f); and
       (ii) review the types of Government information not covered 
     by cataloguing or indexing requirements; and
       (B) not later than 18 months after receipt of agency 
     inventories--
       (i) consult interested persons;
       (ii) review agency inventories; and
       (iii) make recommendations on--

       (I) which Government information should be catalogued and 
     indexed; and
       (II) the priorities for the cataloguing and indexing of 
     that Government information, including priorities required by 
     statute or regulation.

       (3) Federal chief information officer functions.--
       (A) In general.--After the submission of recommendations by 
     the Board under paragraph (2) and public notice and 
     opportunity for comment, the Office of Management and Budget, 
     acting through the Federal Chief Information Officer, shall 
     issue a circular or promulgate proposed and final regulations 
     that--
       (i) specify which Government information is required to be 
     catalogued and indexed; and
       (ii) establish priorities for the cataloguing and indexing 
     of that information.
       (B) Compliance.--The Federal Chief Information Officer 
     shall--
       (i) work with agencies to ensure timely and ongoing 
     compliance with this subsection; and
       (ii) post agency reports and indexes and catalogues on a 
     centralized searchable database, with a link to the 
     integrated Internet-based system established under section 
     3602(a)(13) of title 44, United States Code, as added by this 
     Act.
       (h) Availability of Government Information on the 
     Internet.--Not later than 1 year after the completion of the 
     agency inventory referred to under subsection (e)(1)(B), each 
     agency shall--
       (1) consult with the Board and interested persons;
       (2) determine which Government information the agency 
     intends to make available and accessible to the public on the 
     Internet and by other means;
       (3) develop priorities and schedules for making that 
     Government information available and accessible;
       (4) make such final determinations, priorities, and 
     schedules available for public comment; and
       (5) post such final determinations, priorities, and 
     schedules on an agency website with a link to the integrated 
     Internet-based system established under section 3602(a)(13) 
     of title 44, United States Code, as added by this Act.

     SEC. 216. PUBLIC DOMAIN DIRECTORY OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 
                   WEBSITES.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section, the term--
       (1) ``agency'' has the meaning given under section 3502(1) 
     of title 44, United States Code; and
       (2) ``directory'' means a taxonomy of subjects linked to 
     websites that is created with the participation of human 
     editors.
       (b) Establishment.--Not later than 2 years after the 
     effective date of this Act, the Federal Chief Information 
     Officer and each agency shall--
       (1) develop and establish a public domain directory of 
     Federal Government websites; and
       (2) post the directory on the Internet with a link to the 
     integrated Internet-based system established under section 
     3602(a)(13) of title 44, United States Code, as added by this 
     Act.
       (c) Development.--With the assistance of each agency, the 
     Federal Chief Information Officer shall--
       (1) direct the development of the directory through a 
     collaborative effort, including input from--
       (A) agency librarians;
       (B) Federal depository librarians; and
       (C) other interested parties; and
       (2) develop a public domain taxonomy of subjects used to 
     review and categorize Federal Government websites.
       (d) Update.--With the assistance of each agency, the 
     Federal Chief Information Officer shall--
       (1) update the directory; and
       (2) solicit interested persons for improvements to the 
     directory.

     SEC. 217. STANDARDS FOR AGENCY WEBSITES.

       Not later than 1 year after the effective date of this Act, 
     the Federal Chief Information Officer shall promulgate 
     standards and criteria for agency websites that include--
       (1) requirements that websites include direct links to--
       (A) privacy statements;
       (B) descriptions of the mission and statutory authority of 
     the agency;
       (C) the electronic reading rooms of the agency relating to 
     the disclosure of information under section 552 of title 5, 
     United States Code (commonly referred to as the Freedom of 
     Information Act);
       (D) agency regulations, rules, and rulemakings;
       (E) information about the organizational structure of the 
     agency, with an outline linked to the agency on-line staff 
     directory; and
       (F) the strategic plan of the agency developed under 
     section 306 of title 5, United States Code; and
       (2) minimum agency goals to assist public users to navigate 
     agency websites, including--
       (A) speed of retrieval of search results;
       (B) the relevance of the results; and
       (C) tools to aggregate and disaggregate data.

     SEC. 218. PRIVACY PROVISIONS.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section, the term--
       (1) ``agency'' has the meaning given under section 551(1) 
     of title 5, United States Code;
       (2) ``information system'' means a discrete set of 
     information resources organized for

[[Page S4112]]

     the collection, processing, maintenance, transmission, and 
     dissemination of information, in accordance with defined 
     procedures that--
       (A) electronically collects or maintains personally 
     identifiable information on 10 or more individuals; or
       (B) makes personally identifiable information available to 
     the public; and
       (3) ``personally identifiable information'' means 
     individually identifiable information about an individual, 
     including--
       (A) a first and last name;
       (B) a home or other physical address including street name 
     and name of a city or town;
       (C) an e-mail address;
       (D) a telephone number;
       (E) a social security number;
       (F) a credit card number;
       (G) a birth date, birth certificate number, or a place of 
     birth; and
       (H) any other identifier that the Federal Chief Information 
     Officer determines permits the identification or physical or 
     online contacting of a specific individual.
       (b) Privacy Impact Assessments.--
       (1) Responsibilities of agencies.--
       (A) In general.--Before developing or procuring an 
     information system, or initiating a new collection of 
     personally identifiable information that will be collected, 
     processed, maintained, or disseminated electronically, an 
     agency shall--
       (i) conduct a privacy impact assessment;
       (ii) submit the assessment to the Federal Chief Information 
     Officer; and
       (iii) after completion of any review conducted by the 
     Federal Chief Information Officer, where practicable--

       (I) publish the assessment in the Federal Register; or
       (II) disseminate the assessment electronically.

       (B) Sensitive information.--Subparagraph (A)(iii) may be 
     modified or waived to protect classified, sensitive, or 
     private information contained in an assessment.
       (2) Contents of a privacy impact assessment.--A privacy 
     impact assessment shall include--
       (A) a description of--
       (i) the information to be collected;
       (ii) the purpose for the collection of the information and 
     the reason each item of information is necessary and 
     relevant;
       (iii)(I) any notice that will be provided to persons from 
     whom information is collected; and
       (II) any choice that an individual who is the subject of 
     the collection of information shall have to decline to 
     provide information;
       (iv) the intended uses of the information and proposed 
     limits on other uses of the information;
       (v) the intended recipients or users of the information and 
     any limitations on access to or reuse or redisclosure of the 
     information;
       (vi) the period for which the information will be retained;
       (vii) whether and by what means the individual who is the 
     subject of the collection of information--

       (I) shall have access to the information about that 
     individual; or
       (II) may exercise other rights under section 552a of title 
     5, United States Code; and

       (viii) security measures that will protect the information;
       (B) an assessment of the potential impact on privacy 
     relating to risks and mitigation of risks; and
       (C) other information and analysis required under guidance 
     issued by the Federal Chief Information Officer.
       (3) Responsibilities of the federal chief information 
     officer.--The Federal Chief Information Officer shall--
       (A)(i) develop policies and guidelines for agencies on the 
     conduct of privacy impact assessments; and
       (ii) oversee the implementation of the privacy impact 
     assessment process throughout the Government;
       (B) require agencies to conduct privacy impact assessments 
     in--
       (i) developing or procuring an information system; or
       (ii) planning for the initiation of a new collection of 
     personally identifiable information;
       (C) require agencies to conduct privacy impact assessments 
     of existing information systems or ongoing collections of 
     personally identifiable information as the Federal Chief 
     Information Officer determines appropriate;
       (D) assist agencies in developing privacy impact assessment 
     policies; and
       (E) encourage officers and employees of an agency to 
     consult with privacy officers of that agency in completing 
     privacy impact assessments.
       (c) Privacy Protections on Agency Websites.--
       (1) Privacy policies on websites.--
       (A) Guidelines for notices.--The Federal Chief Information 
     Officer shall develop guidelines for privacy notices on 
     agency websites.
       (B) Contents.--The guidelines shall require that a privacy 
     notice include a description of--
       (i) information collected about visitors to the agency's 
     website;
       (ii) the intended uses of the information collected;
       (iii) the choices that an individual may have in 
     controlling collection or disclosure of information relating 
     to that individual;
       (iv) the means by which an individual may be able to--

       (I) access personally identifiable information relating to 
     that individual that is held by the agency; and
       (II) correct any inaccuracy in that information;

       (v) security procedures to protect information collected 
     online;
       (vi) the period for which information will be retained; and
       (vii) the rights of an individual under statutes and 
     regulations relating to the protection of individual privacy, 
     including section 552a of title 5, United States Code 
     (commonly referred to as the Privacy Act of 1974) and section 
     552 of that title (commonly referred to as the Freedom of 
     Information Act).
       (2) Privacy policies in machine-readable formats.--
       (A) In general.--The Federal Chief Information Officer 
     shall promulgate guidelines and standards requiring agencies 
     to translate privacy policies into a standardized machine-
     readable format.
       (B) Waiver or modification.--The Federal Chief Information 
     Officer may waive or modify the application of subparagraph 
     (A), if the Federal Chief Information Officer determines 
     that--
       (i) such application is impracticable; or
       (ii) a more practicable alternative shall be implemented.
       (C) Notification.--Not later than 30 days after granting a 
     waiver or modification under subparagraph (B), the Federal 
     Chief Information Officer shall notify the Committee on 
     Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
     Government Reform of the House of Representatives of the 
     reasons for the waiver or modification.

     SEC. 219. ACCESSIBILITY TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

       All actions taken by Federal departments and agencies under 
     this Act shall be in compliance with section 508 of the 
     Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d).

     SEC. 220. NOTIFICATION OF OBSOLETE OR COUNTERPRODUCTIVE 
                   PROVISIONS.

       If the Federal Chief Information Officer makes a 
     determination that any provision of this Act (including any 
     amendment made by this Act) is obsolete or counterproductive 
     to the purposes of this Act, as a result of changes in 
     technology or any other reason, the Federal Chief Information 
     Officer shall submit notification of that determination to--
       (1) the Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate; 
     and
       (2) the Committee on Government Reform of the House of 
     Representatives.

     TITLE III--AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS AND EFFECTIVE DATE

     SEC. 301. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Except for those purposes for which an authorization of 
     appropriations is specifically provided in this Act, 
     including the amendments made by this Act, there are 
     authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary 
     to carry out this Act for each of fiscal years 2002 through 
     2006.

     SEC. 302. EFFECTIVE DATE.

       This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall take 
     effect 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act.
                                  ____


        E-Government Act of 2001--Section-by-Section Description


     Title I: Office of Management and Budget E-Government Services

           Sec. 101: Federal Chief Information Officer (CIO)

       Establishes a Federal CIO, reporting directly to the 
     Director of OMB, with responsibility for the development, 
     application, and management of information resources for the 
     federal government. The Federal CIO is appointed by the 
     President and confirmed by the Senate. Delegates to the 
     Federal CIO responsibility for implementation of the Privacy 
     Act, oversight of information technology (IT) capital 
     planning and performance pursuant to the Clinger Cohen Act, 
     oversight of implementation of the Government Paperwork 
     Elimination Act, promulgation of federal computer systems 
     standards and guidelines, consultation on expenditures from 
     GSA's IT fund, and government-wide statistical policy.

 Sec. 102: Office of Information Policy and Office of Information and 
                           Regulatory Affairs

       Establishes the new Office of Information Policy, headed by 
     the Federal CIO. The existing Office of Information and 
     Regulatory Affairs retains responsibility for information 
     collection review functions. Other functions prescribed by 
     the Paperwork Reduction Act, such as information 
     dissemination functions, are the responsibility of the 
     Federal CIO and the Office of Information Policy. Specifies 
     that the offices will coordinate their efforts.

  Sec. 103: Management and Promotion of Electronic Government Services

       Creates a new Chapter 36 in Title 44 of the United States 
     Code.
       Section 3602 specifies some of the Federal CIO's 
     information resource management (IRM) functions, which 
     include: Reviewing agency budget requests related to IT 
     capital planning and investment; evaluating those investments 
     with respect to performance and results; reviewing 
     legislative proposals related to IT capital planning and 
     investment; advising the OMB Director on the resources 
     required to effectively operate information systems; 
     recommending to the Director changes in government-wide 
     strategies and priorities for IRM; establishing IRM policies

[[Page S4113]]

     and requirements for executive branch agencies; promoting 
     innovative uses of IT, especially initiatives involving 
     multi-agency collaboration; administering the distribution of 
     funds from an ``E-Government Fund''; consulting with the GSA 
     Administrator on the use of the GSA's IT fund; chairing the 
     CIO Council; establishing and promulgating IT standards and 
     guidelines for interconnectivity and interoperability, 
     categorizing and labeling government electronic information 
     to enhance search capabilites, and computer system efficiency 
     and security; establishing several forums for communicating 
     with IRM leaders in the regulatory executive branch agencies, 
     legislative and judicial branches, and in state, local, and 
     tribal governments; establishing a cross-sector forum on IRM 
     with representatives from federal agencies and the 
     private, nonprofit, and academic sectors to encourage 
     collaboration; developing and promoting an integrated, 
     standardized, Internet-based system (a portal) for 
     providing government information and services to the 
     public by function and from a single point; coordinating 
     with the Office of Federal Procurement Policy in 
     implementing electronic procurement initiatives; assisting 
     federal entities in implementing accessibility standards, 
     and ensuring compliance with those standards; and 
     administering the Office of Information Policy.
       This section also requires the Director of OMB to ensure 
     that the Office of Information Policy has adequate employees 
     and resources to fulfill its statutory functions, and it 
     authorizes $15 million for fiscal year 2002, and such sums as 
     are necessary for fiscal years 2003 through 2006, for 
     maintaining the Internet portal described in the section.
       Section 3603 establishes a CIO Council, chaired by the 
     federal CIO, and consisting of representation from CIO's of 
     all major federal agencies. The Council will receive 
     administrative and other support, including funding, from 
     GSA. The Council is designated the principal interagency 
     forum for improving agency practices related to all aspects 
     of federal government information resources. Its 
     responsibilities include: Developing recommendations for the 
     Federal CIO on information resources management (IRM) 
     policies, and assisting the CIO in developing a government-
     wide strategic plan; sharing experiences and best practices 
     related to IRM; providing recommendations to the Federal CIO 
     regarding the use of E-Government Fund; coordinating the 
     development of common performance measures for agency IRM; 
     working with NIST to develop recommendations on IT standards; 
     and working with the OPM to address the hiring, training and 
     professional development needs of the government with respect 
     to IRM.
       Section 3604 establishes an E-Government Fund within the 
     Dept of the Treasury to fund interagency IT projects and 
     other innovative uses of IT. It authorizes $200,000,000 in 
     fiscal years 2002 through 2004 for the Fund and such sums as 
     are necessary for fiscal years 2005 through 2006. Proposed 
     projects are reviewed by a committee of the CIO council 
     according to specified criteria; after receiving the 
     committee's recommendation, the Federal CIO determines which 
     of the projects should be funded. Appropriators and 
     authorizing committee are notified in advance of the intended 
     uses of the funds, and the Federal CIO reports annually to 
     the President and Congress on the operation of the fund.


  Title II: Federal Management and Promotion of E-Government Services

               Sec. 201: Federal Agency Responsibilities

       Specifies that federal agencies are responsible for 
     complying with the Act and polices and standards established 
     by the Federal CIO, and for supporting the efforts of the 
     Federal CIO to maintain the Government's online portal. It 
     also specifies that agency CIO's will participate in the CIO 
     Council and monitor the implementation within their agencies 
     of common IT standards. Each agency will submit to the 
     Federal CIO an annual E-Government Status Report on the 
     current status of agency information and services 
     available online.

Sec. 202: Compatibility of Methods for Use and Acceptance of Electronic 
                               Signatures

       Requires each executive agency to ensure that its methods 
     for use and acceptance of electronic signatures are 
     compatible with OMB procedures and standards. The GSA 
     Administrator will support OMB by establishing the federal 
     bridge certification authority to allow efficient 
     interoperability among executive agencies when certifying 
     digital signatures. GSA will be authorized $7,000,000 for 
     FY2002 appropriations, and such sums as may be necessary each 
     fiscal year thereafter for development and operation of a 
     federal bridge certification authority.

              Sec. 203: Online Federal Telephone Directory

       Requires GSA, in coordination with the CIO Council, to 
     develop and issue an online federal telephone directory 
     organized and retrievable by function and by agency. The 
     telephone directory will be provided to local telephone book 
     publishers to encourage publication of functionally arranged 
     directories. Executive agencies are required to publish an 
     online agency directory, accessible by electronic links to 
     the federal telephone directory, including contact 
     information for principal departments and employees.

                   Sec. 204: Online National Library

       Requires the establishment of an online national library as 
     a collaboration between several federal agencies, including 
     the National Science Foundation, Smithsonian, and the Library 
     of Congress, to provide public access to educational resource 
     materials. The materials will be functionally integrated 
     without regard to the boundaries of the contributing 
     institutions. For the development, expansion and maintenance 
     of the national library, NSF and the Library of Congress are 
     each authorized $5,000,000 for FY 2002, and such sums as may 
     be necessary each fiscal year thereafter.

                        Sec. 205: Federal Courts

       Requires each federal court to establish a website that 
     would include public information such as location and contact 
     information for courthouses, local rules, docket information 
     for each case, and access to written opinions issued by the 
     court, in a text searchable format. Documents filed 
     electronically, and those converted to electronic form, shall 
     also be made available. The Judicial Conference may 
     promulgate rules to protect privacy concerns. The existing 
     PACER electronic docketing system will no longer be required 
     to charge fees to users. Court websites are required to be 
     established no later than 2 years after the Act's effective 
     date, with access to documents filed electronically no later 
     than 4 years. Any court may elect not to comply with any 
     requirement of this section, but Congress is notified of all 
     such decisions and the reasons for the decisions.

                     Sec. 206: Regulatory Agencies

       Requires that agencies post on their websites all 
     information about the agencies' regulatory proceedings that 
     is required to be published in the Federal Register. Agencies 
     must accept submissions in regulatory proceedings by 
     electronic means (including e-mail and fax). Agencies shall 
     also establish electronic dockets for online rulemaking. 
     Electronic dockets shall make available all agency notices, 
     publications, or statements related to each rulemaking, and 
     all submissions made pursuant to the rulemaking. Agencies can 
     opt out of the section's electronic docket requirement. 
     Websites are required to be established no later than 2 
     years after the Act's effective date, with submission by 
     electronic means no later than 4 years.

  Sec. 207: Integrated Reporting Feasibility Study and Pilot Projects

       Requires the Federal CIO to conduct a study on the 
     feasibility of integrating federal information systems across 
     agencies by addressing the feasibility of (1) integrating 
     data elements used in the electronic collection of 
     information, (2) developing software for assembling, 
     documenting, and validating the accuracy of electronically 
     submitted data, (3) developing a distributed information 
     system, involving at least 2 agencies, that provides public 
     access to the information holdings of an agency, and (4) 
     incorporating other data elements related to the purposes of 
     this section. To collect information for the study, the 
     Federal CIO will implement no more than 5 pilot projects that 
     integrate data elements with the goals of reducing 
     information collection burdens by eliminating duplicative 
     data elements, and establishing interoperability between 
     public databases. The resulting report, which shall be 
     submitted to Congress within three years of the date of 
     enactment, will include recommendations that Congress or the 
     executive branch can implement to reduce the burden on 
     reporting and strengthening public access.

  Sec. 208: Online Access to Federally Funded Research and Development

       Provides for the formation of an interagency task force to 
     review current databases of federally funded research and 
     development, then develop recommendations on standards for 
     the collection and dissemination of essential information 
     about such data that addresses both public availability and 
     agency coordination and collaboration. No later than 1 year 
     after enactment of this Act, the Federal CIO will promulgate 
     standards and regulations based on the recommendations, and 
     determine which agencies should maintain databases and a 
     website providing online access to the information. The 
     respective agencies will then develop any required databases 
     and a centralized, searchable website. The website will be 
     operational within 2 years after the date of enactment. 
     $1,000,000 is authorized for FY 2002, $5,000,000 for FY 2003, 
     and such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2004 
     through 2006.

  Sec. 209: Common Protocols for Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

       Requires the Department of the Interior, in consultation 
     with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, 
     private sector experts, and other interested parties, to 
     facilitate the development of common protocols for geographic 
     information to maximize the electronic compatibility of 
     geographic information from various sources and promote the 
     development of interoperable GIS technologies for low-cost 
     use and sharing of geographic data by government entities and 
     the public. The Federal CIO will oversee the agency 
     initiative and promulgate the resulting standards.

            Sec. 210: Share-In-Savings Program Improvements

       Encourages the use of the share-in-savings contracting 
     approach (in which the contractor is paid from the savings 
     realized) for IT projects, and allows the agency conducting a 
     project to retain a portion of the savings realized, and use 
     those funds to acquire additional information technology. If

[[Page S4114]]

     the share-in-savings pilot projects are successful, the GSA 
     Administrator may provide general authority to executive 
     agencies to use the contracting approach.

  Sec. 211: Enhancing Crisis Management Through Advanced Information 
                               Technology

       Provides for a 2-year study, conducted by the National 
     Academy of Sciences, to develop a research and implementation 
     strategy for effective use of IT in crisis response and 
     consequence management of natural and manmade disasters. The 
     study will identify opportunities for research and 
     development on enhanced technologies for improving 
     communications with citizens at risk, enhancing the use of 
     remote sensor data for planning, advance warning, and 
     response, building more trustworthy systems for 
     communications in crises, and facilitating coordinated 
     actions among responders. $800,000 for FY 2002 would be 
     authorized for the research.

        Sec. 212: Federal Information Technology Training Center

       Requires the establishment of an IT training center to (1) 
     analyze the personnel needs related to IT on an ongoing 
     basis, (2) design curricula, training methods and training 
     schedules, and (3) recruit and train federal employees in IT 
     disciplines at a rate that ensures that government's needs 
     are met. The curricula will cover a broad range of IT 
     disciplines, will be adaptable to varying levels of 
     expertise, and will include the use of self-paced courses, 
     online courses, on-the-job training, and remote instructors. 
     $7,000,000 is authorized for the Office of Personnel 
     Management for FY 2002, and such sums as may be necessary 
     each fiscal year thereafter for developing and operating the 
     training center.

                 Sec. 213: Community Technology Centers

       Provides for a study by the Department of Education to 
     evaluate the best practices being used by Community 
     Technology Centers (CTC's) that receive federal funds; the 
     resulting report will include an evaluation of CTC's best 
     practices, a strategy for establishing a network to share 
     information and resources as CTC's evolve, an analysis of 
     whether CTC's have been deployed effectively throughout the 
     country, a database of all CTC's receiving federal funds, and 
     recommendations for enhancing the development of CTC's. The 
     Federal CIO will work with relevant agencies and the private 
     and non-profit sectors to provide assistance to CTC's, public 
     libraries, and other institutions that provide computer and 
     Internet access to the public. OPM will provide IT training 
     curricula, and the Department of Education will develop an 
     online tutorial. The Department of Education will be 
     authorized $2,000,000 for FY2002, $2,000,000 for FY2003, and 
     such sums as are necessary in fiscal years 2004 through 2006.

            Sec. 214: Disparities in Access to the Internet

       Provides for a non-profit, non-partisan organization 
     selected by the Federal CIO to conduct a study of how 
     disparities in Internet access influence the effectiveness of 
     online government services. The study will include 
     recommendations on how to ensure that online government 
     initiatives will not have the unintended result of increasing 
     any deficiency in public access to government services. The 
     section also provides that when promulgating policies and 
     implementing programs that provide services over the 
     Internet, the Federal CIO and agency heads shall ensure that 
     the availability of government services has not been 
     diminished for individuals who lack access to the Internet. 
     The Federal CIO and agency heads are also directed to pursue 
     technologies that make government services and information 
     more accessible to individuals who do not have access to the 
     Internet. $950,000 is authorized in FY2002 to carry out this 
     section.

   Sec. 215: Accessibility, Usability and Preservation of Government 
                              Information

       The section establishes an Advisory Board on Government 
     Information comprised of members from federal agencies, and 
     from the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Based on 
     information provided by each agency, the Board will recommend 
     standards for (1) establishing permanent public access to 
     government information disseminated on the Internet, (2) 
     developing inventories of government information, and (3) 
     cataloguing and indexing government information. Based 
     on these recommendations, and after public notice and 
     opportunity for comment, the federal CIO will promulgate 
     standards and issue regulations, which agencies will then 
     implement. Specifically, this section requires that the 
     following steps be taken:
       Permanent Public Access: The Board will make 
     recommendations on standards for permanent public access to 
     government information disseminated on the Internet, 
     including a definition of the types of information to which 
     the standards apply, and the process for implementing 
     permanent public access (due 30 months after enactment). The 
     Federal CIO will issue regulations requiring standards for 
     permanent public access, and agencies will implement the 
     standards. Agencies are also required to report annually on 
     their efforts in this area.
       Inventories of Government Information: The Board will 
     identify all classes of government information, and recommend 
     which classes of information should be inventoried and how 
     the inventories should be conducted. The Federal CIO will 
     then issue regulations describing the scope and timetables 
     for the inventories. Completed agency inventories will be 
     posted online and linked to the federal government portal. 
     Agencies are also required to inventory their websites, and 
     electronically post the inventories, within 180 days of the 
     Act's effective date.
       Cataloguing and Indexing of Government Information: The 
     Board will review cataloguing and indexing standards 
     currently used by federal agencies, and determine whether 
     they are in the public domain and interoperable (due 18 
     months after the Act's effective date). The Federal CIO will 
     issue regulations requiring interoperable standards that are 
     in the public domain. The Board will also review completed 
     agency inventories and existing statutory and regulatory 
     requirements, and recommend which government information 
     should be catalogued and indexed, and the priorities for 
     completing that work. The Federal CIO will then issue 
     regulations specifying which government information shall be 
     catalogued and indexed, and setting timetables. Indexes and 
     catalogues completed by agencies will be posted on a 
     centralized searchable database, which will be linked to the 
     Federal Government portal.
       Agencies will also determine, after public comment, which 
     information to make available on the Internet, and shall 
     develop priorities and schedules for doing so (due 1 year 
     after the completion of agency inventories).

    Sec. 216: Public Domain Directory of Federal Government Websites

       Requires the development, through interagency 
     collaboration, of a public domain directory of federal 
     government websites on the Internet. The directory will be 
     based on a taxonomy of subjects used to categorize Federal 
     Government websites, and will be linked to the Federal 
     Government portal.

                Sec. 217: Standards for Agency Websites

       Requires the federal CIO to promulgate standards and 
     criteria for agency websites no later than 1 year after the 
     Act's effective date. These standards include requiring links 
     to (1) privacy statements, (2) descriptions of an agency's 
     mission and statutory authority, (3) electronic reading 
     rooms, (4) agency regulations, rules and rulemaking 
     materials, (5) information about the organizational structure 
     of the agency, and (6) an agency's strategic plans. The 
     standards will also include minimum requirements to aid in 
     navigating websites, such as speed of retrieval of search 
     results, the relevance of the results, and tools to 
     aggregate and disaggregate data.

                      Sec. 218: Privacy Provisions

       Specifies that an agency will conduct a privacy impact 
     assessment before developing or procuring an information 
     system, or initiating a new collection of personally 
     identifiable information that will be processed 
     electronically. The assessment will be submitted to the 
     federal CIO and include a description of: the information to 
     be collected, the purpose for the collection and reason each 
     item is necessary, any notice that will be provided to 
     persons from whom the information is collected, and any 
     choice that an individual who is the subject of the collected 
     information has to decline to provide the information, the 
     intended uses of the information and proposed limits on other 
     uses, the intended users or recipients of the information and 
     any limitations on reuse or redisclosure, the retention 
     period, whether and by what means the individual who is the 
     subject of collected information has access to that 
     information, and security measures to protect the 
     information.
       The section also requires the Federal CIO to establish 
     guidelines mandating the posting of privacy notices on agency 
     websites, and lists information that must be included in 
     privacy policies. The Federal CIO will also promulgate 
     guidelines requiring agencies to translate privacy policies 
     into a standardized machine readable format.

          Sec. 219: Accessibility to People with Disabilities

       Specifies that all actions taken by the federal government 
     under this Act will comply with section 508 of the 
     Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

   Sec. 220: Notification of Obsolete or Counterproductive Provisions

       Specifies that if the Federal CIO determines that any 
     provisions of this Act is obsolete or counterproductive, as a 
     result of changes in technology or any other reason, the 
     Federal CIO will notify the Committee on Governmental Affairs 
     of the Senate and the Committee on Government Reform of the 
     House of Representatives.


     Title III: Authorization of Appropriations and Effective Date

                Sec 301: Authorization of Appropriations

       Except for those purposes for which the Act specifically 
     provides an authorization, authorizes to be appropriated such 
     sums as may be necessary to carry out the Act for fiscal 
     years 2002 through 2006.

                        Sec 302: Effective Date

       Specifies that the Act shall take effect 120 days after the 
     date of enactment.

  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I would like to join my colleagues, 
Senator Lieberman, Senator Burns, Senator Bingaman, Senator Fitzgerald, 
Senator Daschle, Senator Carper, Senator Durbin, Senator Johnson, 
Senator Kerry, Senator Leahy, and Senator Levin today in introducing 
the E-Government Act of 2001. I believe that this bill will play an 
important role in making the federal government more responsive to our 
citizens.

[[Page S4115]]

  Currently, it can be very challenging for most Americans to find the 
information they need about their government. For example, if someone 
was looking for information on an issue pertaining to international 
trade, he or she would have to look at the web sites of the Department 
of Commerce, United States Trade Representative, International Trade 
Commission, possibly the Department of State or Agriculture, and a 
myriad of House and Senate Committees to find the information they 
seek. This process will undoubtedly frustrate the average American, and 
reinforce feelings of a remote, confusing government. Today, less than 
one percent of current interactions between government and citizens are 
online. There is clearly need for improvement.
  This legislation will help create a coordinated government electronic 
policy. By establishing a Federal Chief Information Officer to operate 
within the Office of Management and Budget, the federal government will 
use staff and resources more effectively to promote e-government and 
address the nation's other pressing information policy issues. In 
addition, the bill establishes an Interagency Information Technology 
Fund to break down existing bureaucratic barriers, and set up a ``one-
stop shopping'' portal that will make it easier for the public to 
access information. Finally, the bill will task the Office of Personnel 
Management to respond to the shortage of skilled Information Technology 
professionals in the federal government.
  This bill is not simple, and I realize that some issues it raises 
must still be resolved. I believe that the Administration and relevant 
Congressional oversight committees must be involved in this process. I 
know that my colleague, the Chairman of the Government Affairs 
Committee, Senator Thompson, will examine this issue, and I would like 
to work with him to resolve any issues that he, or any other Member, 
may have with this legislation.
  In conclusion, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. It 
is important that we seriously examine how to use the Internet and 
other electronic commerce processes to make the federal government more 
open to public scrutiny.
                                 ______