[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 17, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H4259-H4266]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             MODERNIZING GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY ACT OF 2017

  Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 2227) to modernize Government information technology, and for 
other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2227

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Modernizing Government 
     Technology Act of 2017'' or the ``MGT Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSES.

       (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
       (1) The Federal Government spends nearly 75 percent of its 
     annual information technology funding on operating and 
     maintaining existing legacy information technology systems. 
     These systems can pose operational risks, including rising 
     costs and inability to meet mission requirements. These 
     systems also pose security risks, including the inability to 
     use current security best practices, such as data encryption 
     and multi-factor authentication, making these systems 
     particularly vulnerable to malicious cyber activity.
       (2) In 2015, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) 
     designated Improving the Management of IT Acquisitions and 
     Operations to its biannual High Risk List and identified as a 
     particular concern the increasing level of information 
     technology spending on operations and maintenance, making 
     less funding available for development or modernization. The 
     GAO also found the Government has spent billions on failed 
     and poorly performing information technology investments due 
     to a lack of effective oversight.
       (3) The Federal Government must modernize Federal IT 
     systems to mitigate existing operational and security risks.
       (4) The efficiencies, cost savings, and greater computing 
     power offered by modernized solutions, such as cloud 
     computing, have the potential to--
       (A) eliminate inappropriate duplication and reduce costs;
       (B) address the critical need for cybersecurity by design; 
     and
       (C) move the Federal Government into a broad, digital-
     services delivery model that will transform the ability of 
     the Federal Government to meet mission requirements and 
     deliver services to the American people.
       (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are the following:
       (1) Assist the Federal Government in modernizing Federal 
     information technology to mitigate current operational and 
     security risks.
       (2) Incentivize cost savings in Federal information 
     technology through modernization.
       (3) Accelerate the acquisition and deployment of modernized 
     information technology solutions, such as cloud computing, by 
     addressing impediments in the areas of funding, development, 
     and acquisition practices.

     SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF AGENCY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 
                   SYSTEMS MODERNIZATION AND WORKING CAPITAL 
                   FUNDS.

       (a) Information Technology System Modernization and Working 
     Capital Funds.--
       (1) Establishment.--The head of a covered agency may 
     establish within such agency an information technology system 
     modernization and working capital fund (in this section 
     referred to as the ``IT working capital fund'') for necessary 
     expenses described in paragraph (3).
       (2) Source of funds.--The following amounts may be 
     deposited into an IT working capital fund:
       (A) Reprogramming and transfer of funds made available in 
     appropriations Acts subsequent to the date of the enactment 
     of this Act, including transfer of any funds for the 
     operation and maintenance of legacy information technology 
     systems, in compliance with any applicable reprogramming law 
     or guidelines of the Committees on Appropriations of the 
     House of Representatives and the Senate.
       (B) Amounts made available to the IT working capital fund 
     through discretionary appropriations made available 
     subsequent to the date of the enactment of this Act.
       (3) Use of funds.--An IT working capital fund established 
     under paragraph (1) may be used, subject to the availability 
     of appropriations, only for the following:
       (A) To improve, retire, or replace existing information 
     technology systems in the covered agency to enhance 
     cybersecurity and to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
       (B) To transition legacy information technology systems at 
     the covered agency to cloud computing and other innovative 
     platforms and technologies, including those serving more than 
     one covered agency with common requirements.
       (C) To assist and support covered agency efforts to provide 
     adequate, risk-based, and cost-effective information 
     technology capabilities that address evolving threats to 
     information security.
       (D) To reimburse funds transferred to the covered agency 
     from the Technology Modernization Fund established under 
     section 4, with the approval of the Chief Information Officer 
     of the covered agency.
       (4) Existing funds.--An IT working capital fund may not be 
     used to supplant funds provided for the operation and 
     maintenance of any system within an appropriation for the 
     covered agency at the time of establishment of the IT working 
     capital fund.
       (5) Prioritization of funds.--The head of each covered 
     agency shall prioritize funds within the IT working capital 
     fund to be used initially for cost savings activities 
     approved by the Chief Information Officer of the covered 
     agency, in consultation with the Administrator of the Office 
     of Electronic Government. The head of each covered agency may 
     reprogram and transfer any amounts saved as a direct result 
     of such activities for deposit into the applicable IT working 
     capital fund, consistent with paragraph (2)(A).
       (6) Return of funds.--Any funds deposited into an IT 
     working capital fund shall be available for obligation for 
     three years after the last day of the fiscal year in which 
     such funds were deposited.
       (7) Agency cio responsibilities.--In evaluating projects to 
     be funded from the IT working capital fund, the Chief 
     Information Officer of the covered agency shall consider, to 
     the extent applicable, guidance issued pursuant to section 
     4(a)(1) to evaluate applications for funding from the 
     Technology Modernization Fund established under that section 
     that include factors such as a strong business case, 
     technical design, procurement strategy (including adequate 
     use of incremental software development practices), and 
     program management.
       (b) Reporting Requirement.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, and every six months thereafter, 
     the head of each covered agency shall submit to the Director 
     the following, with respect to the IT working capital fund 
     for the covered agency:

[[Page H4260]]

       (A) A list of each information technology investment funded 
     with estimated cost and completion date for each such 
     investment.
       (B) A summary by fiscal year of obligations, expenditures, 
     and unused balances.
       (2) Public availability.--The Director shall make the 
     information submitted under paragraph (1) publicly available 
     on a website.
       (c) Covered Agency Defined.--In this section, the term 
     ``covered agency'' means each agency listed in section 901(b) 
     of title 31, United States Code.

     SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF TECHNOLOGY MODERNIZATION FUND AND 
                   BOARD.

       (a) Technology Modernization Fund.--
       (1) Establishment.--There is established in the Treasury a 
     Technology Modernization Fund (in this section referred to as 
     the ``Fund'') for technology-related activities, to improve 
     information technology, to enhance cybersecurity across the 
     Federal Government, and to be administered in accordance with 
     guidance issued by the Director.
       (2) Administration of fund.--The Commissioner of the 
     Technology Transformation Service of the General Services 
     Administration, in consultation with the Chief Information 
     Officers Council and with the approval of the Director, shall 
     administer the Fund in accordance with this subsection.
       (3) Use of funds.--The Commissioner shall, in accordance 
     with the recommendations of the Technology Modernization 
     Board established under subsection (b), use amounts in the 
     Fund for the following purposes:
       (A) To transfer such amounts, to remain available until 
     expended, to the head of an agency to improve, retire, or 
     replace existing Federal information technology systems to 
     enhance cybersecurity and improve efficiency and 
     effectiveness.
       (B) For the development, operation, and procurement of 
     information technology products, services, and acquisition 
     vehicles for use by agencies to improve Governmentwide 
     efficiency and cybersecurity in accordance with the 
     requirements of such agencies.
       (C) To provide services or work performed in support of the 
     activities described under subparagraph (A) or (B).
       (4) Authorization of appropriations; credits; availability 
     of funds.--
       (A) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Fund $250,000,000 for each of 
     fiscal years 2018 and 2019.
       (B) Credits.--In addition to any funds otherwise 
     appropriated, the Fund shall be credited with all 
     reimbursements, advances, or refunds or recoveries relating 
     to information technology or services provided through the 
     Fund.
       (C) Availability of funds.--Amounts deposited, credited, or 
     otherwise made available to the Fund shall be available, as 
     provided in appropriations Acts, until expended for the 
     purposes described in paragraph (3).
       (5) Reimbursement.--
       (A) Payment by agency.--For a product or service developed 
     under paragraph (3)(B), including any services or work 
     performed in support of such development under paragraph 
     (3)(C), the head of an agency that uses such product or 
     service shall pay an amount fixed by the Commissioner in 
     accordance with this paragraph.
       (B) Reimbursement by agency.--The head of an agency shall 
     reimburse the Fund for any transfer made under paragraph 
     (3)(A), including any services or work performed in support 
     of such transfer under paragraph (3)(C), in accordance with 
     the terms established in a written agreement described in 
     paragraph (6). Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an 
     agency may make a reimbursement required by this subparagraph 
     from any appropriation made available subsequent to the date 
     of the enactment of this Act for information technology 
     activities, consistent with any applicable reprogramming law 
     or guidelines of the Committees on Appropriations of the 
     House of Representatives and the Senate. An obligation to 
     make a payment under a written agreement described in 
     paragraph (6) in a fiscal year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act shall be recorded pursuant to section 
     1501 of title 31, United States Code, in the fiscal year in 
     which the payment is due.
       (C) Prices fixed by commissioner.--The Commissioner, in 
     consultation with the Director, shall establish amounts to be 
     paid by an agency and terms of repayment for use of a product 
     or service developed under paragraph (3)(B), including any 
     services or work performed in support of such development 
     under paragraph (3)(C), at levels sufficient to ensure the 
     solvency of the Fund, including operating expenses. Before 
     making any changes to the established amounts and terms of 
     repayment, the Commissioner shall conduct a review and obtain 
     approval from the Director.
       (D) Failure to make timely reimbursement.--The Commissioner 
     may obtain reimbursement by the issuance of transfer and 
     counterwarrants, or other lawful transfer documents, 
     supported by itemized bills, if payment is not made by an 
     agency--
       (i) within 90 days after the expiration of a repayment 
     period described in a written agreement described in 
     paragraph (6); or
       (ii) within 45 days after the expiration of the time period 
     to make a payment under a payment schedule for a product or 
     service developed under paragraph (3)(B).
       (6) Written agreement.--
       (A) In general.--Before the transfer of funds to an agency 
     under paragraph (3)(A), the Commissioner (in consultation 
     with the Director) and the head of the requisitioning agency 
     shall enter into a written agreement documenting the purpose 
     for which the funds will be used and the terms of repayment, 
     which may not exceed five years unless approved by the 
     Director. An agreement made pursuant to this subparagraph 
     shall be recorded as an obligation as provided in paragraph 
     (5)(B).
       (B) Requirement for use of incremental development 
     practices.--For any funds transferred to an agency under 
     paragraph (3)(A), in the absence of compelling circumstances 
     documented by the Commissioner at the time of transfer, such 
     funds shall be transferred only on an incremental basis, tied 
     to metric-based development milestones achieved by the 
     agency, to be described in a written agreement required under 
     subparagraph (A).
       (7) Reporting requirement.--Not later than six months after 
     the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director shall 
     publish and maintain a list of each project funded by the 
     Fund on a public website, to be updated not less than 
     quarterly, that includes a description of the project, 
     project status (including any schedule delay and cost 
     overruns), and financial expenditure data related to the 
     project.
       (b) Technology Modernization Board.--
       (1) Establishment.--There is established a Technology 
     Modernization Board (in this section referred to as the 
     ``Board'') to evaluate proposals submitted by agencies for 
     funding authorized under the Fund.
       (2) Responsibilities.--The responsibilities of the Board 
     are the following:
       (A) Provide input to the Director for the development of 
     processes for agencies to submit modernization proposals to 
     the Board and to establish the criteria by which such 
     proposals are evaluated, which shall include addressing the 
     greatest security and operational risks, having the greatest 
     Governmentwide impact, and having a high probability of 
     success based on factors such as a strong business case, 
     technical design, procurement strategy (including adequate 
     use of incremental software development practices), and 
     program management.
       (B) Make recommendations to the Commissioner to assist 
     agencies in the further development and refinement of select 
     submitted modernization proposals, based on an initial 
     evaluation performed with the assistance of the Commissioner.
       (C) Review and prioritize, with the assistance of the 
     Commissioner and the Director, modernization proposals based 
     on criteria established pursuant to subparagraph (A).
       (D) Identify, with the assistance of the Commissioner, 
     opportunities to improve or replace multiple information 
     technology systems with a smaller number of information 
     technology systems common to multiple agencies.
       (E) Recommend the funding of modernization projects, in 
     accordance with the uses described in subsection (a)(3), to 
     the Commissioner.
       (F) Monitor, in consultation with the Commissioner, 
     progress and performance in executing approved projects and, 
     if necessary, recommend the suspension or termination of 
     funding for projects based on factors such as failure to meet 
     the terms of a written agreement described in subsection 
     (a)(6).
       (G) Monitor operating costs of the Fund.
       (3) Membership.--The Board shall consist of eight voting 
     members.
       (4) Chair.--The Chair of the Board shall be the 
     Administrator of the Office of Electronic Government.
       (5) Permanent members.--The permanent members of the Board 
     shall be the following:
       (A) The Administrator of the Office of Electronic 
     Government.
       (B) A senior official from the General Services 
     Administration having technical expertise in information 
     technology development, appointed by the Administrator of 
     General Services, with the approval of the Director.
       (6) Additional members of the board.--
       (A) Appointment.--The other members of the Board shall be 
     appointed as follows:
       (i) One employee of the National Protection and Programs 
     Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security, appointed 
     by the Secretary of Homeland Security.
       (ii) One employee of the Department of Defense, appointed 
     by the Secretary of Defense.
       (iii) Four Federal employees primarily having technical 
     expertise in information technology development, financial 
     management, cybersecurity and privacy, and acquisition, 
     appointed by the Director.
       (B) Term.--Each member of the Board described in paragraph 
     (A) shall serve a term of one year, which shall be renewable 
     up to three times, at the discretion of the appointing 
     Secretary or Director, as applicable.
       (7) Prohibition on compensation.--Members of the Board may 
     not receive additional pay, allowances, or benefits by reason 
     of their service on the Board.
       (8) Staff.--Upon request of the Chair of the Board, the 
     Director and the Administrator of General Services may 
     detail, on a nonreimbursable basis, any of the personnel of 
     the Office of Management and Budget or the General Services 
     Administration (as the case may be) to the Board to assist 
     the Board in carrying out its functions under this Act.
       (c) Responsibilities of Commissioner.--
       (1) In general.--In addition to the responsibilities 
     described in subsection (a), the Commissioner shall support 
     the activities of the Board and provide technical support to, 
     and, with the concurrence of the Director, oversight of, 
     agencies that receive transfers from the Fund.

[[Page H4261]]

       (2) Responsibilities.--The responsibilities of the 
     Commissioner are the following:
       (A) Provide direct technical support in the form of 
     personnel services or otherwise to agencies transferred 
     amounts under subsection (a)(3)(A) and for products, 
     services, and acquisition vehicles funded under subsection 
     (a)(3)(B).
       (B) Assist the Board with the evaluation, prioritization, 
     and development of agency modernization proposals.
       (C) Perform regular project oversight and monitoring of 
     approved agency modernization projects, in consultation with 
     the Board and the Director, to increase the likelihood of 
     successful implementation and reduce waste.
       (D) Provide the Director with information necessary to meet 
     the requirements of subsection (a)(7).
       (d) Agency Defined.--In this section, the term ``agency'' 
     has the meaning given that term in section 551 of title 5, 
     United States Code.

     SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Cloud computing.--The term ``cloud computing'' has the 
     meaning given that term by the National Institute of 
     Standards and Technology in NIST Special Publication 800-145 
     and any amendatory or superseding document thereto.
       (2) Commissioner.--The term ``Commissioner'' means the 
     Commissioner of the Technology Transformation Service of the 
     General Services Administration.
       (3) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
     the Office of Management and Budget.
       (4) Information technology.--The term ``information 
     technology'' has the meaning given that term in section 3502 
     of title 44, United States Code.
       (5) Legacy information technology system.--The term 
     ``legacy information technology system'' means an outdated or 
     obsolete system of information technology.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Hurd) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.


                             General Leave

  Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 2227, the Modernizing 
Government Technology Act, or the MGT Act.
  Each year, the Federal Government spends over $80 billion a year on 
information technology, with nearly 75 percent of that directed just 
towards operating and maintaining existing IT systems. Couple this with 
innovation and management strategies that are decades behind the 
private sector when it comes to IT, and the increasing cost of 
maintaining these aging and insecure systems, this is unsustainable.
  These systems pose increasing operational and security risks for the 
Federal Government, as we saw with the devastating OPM data breach, 
which impacted over 20 million people.
  As we see cybersecurity attacks on the rise across the globe, it is 
imperative that we modernize and protect our information technology 
systems. The American people deserve better from their government, 
especially on an issue that is completely solvable. Our government 
needs to be able to introduce cutting-edge technology into their 
networks to improve operational efficiency and decrease operational 
cost.
  This bipartisan IT reform package is designed to reduce wasteful IT 
spending and strengthen information security by accelerating the 
Federal Government's transition to modern technology, like cloud 
computing. This legislation is an innovative solution and a tremendous 
step forward in strengthening our digital infrastructure.
  This bill passed the House on voice vote last year and passed out of 
the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee by voice this year. 
Unfortunately, we ran out of time on this bill last Congress with the 
Senate, but we have an opportunity to act this year with an improved 
bill.
  H.R. 2227 authorizes two types of funds to modernize legacy IT and 
incentivize IT savings in Federal agencies. The bill authorizes funds 
within individual CFO Act agencies, and it authorizes a centralized 
fund located within Treasury and overseen by OMB. The two funds will 
incentivize IT savings and reward cost-sensitive and responsible chief 
information officers.
  Under MGT, savings obtained by Federal agencies, by doing things like 
streamlining IT systems, replacing legacy products, and transitioning 
to cloud computing, can be placed in a working capital fund that can be 
accessed for up to 3 years for further modernization efforts.
  This approach eliminates the traditional use-it-or-lose-it approach 
that has plagued government technology for decades. This approach to 
technology investments will transform government technology by keeping 
our information and digital infrastructure secure from cyber attacks 
while saving billions of taxpayer dollars.
  This important bill has enjoyed widespread support from colleagues in 
the House and the Senate.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member, the gentlewoman from 
Illinois (Ms. Kelly), my friend, for her support on this. I thank the 
gentleman from the Commonwealth of Virginia (Mr. Connolly) for all he 
has done. I especially thank Chairman Chaffetz and Ranking Member 
Cummings for their support.
  The majority leader, Kevin McCarthy, and the minority whip, Steny 
Hoyer, have been vital to the success of getting this bill moving 
forward.
  I thank all of the other Members as well who have provided support 
and leadership for the MGT Act.
  Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters of support from a number 
of industry and trade groups in support of this bill.


                                Professional Services Council,

                                    Arlington, VA, April 27, 2017.
     Hon. Jerry Moran,
     U.S. Senator, Washington, DC.
     Hon. Will Hurd,
     Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 
         Subcommittee on Information Technology, Washington, DC.
     Hon. Tom Udall,
     U.S. Senator, Washington, DC.
     Hon. Gerry Connolly,
     Ranking Member, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 
         Subcommittee on Government Operations, Washington, DC.
       Dear Senators Moran and Udall, Chairman Hurd and Ranking 
     Member Connolly: On behalf of the over 400 member companies 
     of the Professional Services Council (PSC), I write to convey 
     our association's strong support for your legislation, the 
     Modernizing Government Technology Act of 2017 (the ``MGT 
     Act''), and to thank you for your continued leadership to 
     advance policies that will upgrade the government's legacy IT 
     systems.
       The MGT Act would establish a critical source of dependable 
     funding for federal agencies to invest in IT system 
     modernization, incentivize agencies to utilize the funds for 
     agency priorities, and accelerate the transition to the 
     cloud.
       PSC supports the Act because we believe the bill will help 
     make government more effective and its networks more secure, 
     while reducing overall costs. Enactment would be a much-
     needed and critical step to begin addressing the immense 
     challenges associated with upgrading federal information 
     technology systems and limiting cybersecurity vulnerabilities 
     inherent in the government's outdated computer systems.
       PSC looks forward to working with you to see this 
     legislation enacted. Thank you for your leadership and 
     attention to this important issue. If you or your colleagues 
     have any questions or need additional information, please do 
     not hesitate to reach out to me.
           Yours Respectfully,
                                                 David J. Berteau,
     President and CEO.
                                  ____

                                                       IT Alliance


                                            for Public Sector,

                                   Washington, DC, April 28, 2017.
     Re The Modernizing Government Technology Act of 2017 (MGT 
         Act).

     Hon. Will Hurd,
     Chairman, Subcommittee on Information Technology, Committee 
         on Oversight and Government Reform, House of 
         Representatives, Washington, DC.
     Hon. Robin Kelly,
     Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Information Technology, 
         Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, House of 
         Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Hurd and Ranking Member Kelly: On behalf of 
     the member companies of the Information Technology Alliance 
     for Public Sector (ITAPS), I am writing to express our strong 
     support for the Modernizing Government Technology (MGT) Act 
     of 2017. We appreciate all the time, effort, and commitment 
     you have dedicated to reforming how the federal government 
     funds and invests in information technology (IT). This 
     bipartisan, bicameral legislation would enable new means to 
     fund IT solutions, including for IT modernization efforts, 
     and provide

[[Page H4262]]

     funding availability to permit government IT to better keep 
     pace with innovation. We commend your staffs for 
     collaborating and working with ITAPS and our members.
       The time is ripe to transform the way the federal 
     government acquires IT, and this bipartisan legislation is a 
     substantial step toward that transformation. The federal 
     government today spends about $60 billion dollars annually 
     sustaining their existing IT and their funding streams allow 
     them to either continue to sustain those systems or 
     modernize, but they do not have the funding to do both at the 
     same time. The MGT Act creates the necessary new options for 
     agencies to be able to sustain what is necessary for their 
     mission, while investing in modernizing and transforming IT 
     capabilities in the federal government for the digital era.
       Again, thank you for the engagement you and your staff 
     afforded ITAPS and our members. We look forward to continuing 
     to work with you further as the bill advances through the 
     legislative process.
           Sincerely,
                                 A.R. ``Trey'' Hodgkins, III, CAE,
     Senior Vice President, Public Sector.
                                  ____

       Adobe applauds Congressman Will Hurd (Texas) for 
     reintroducing the Modernizing Government Technology Act, H.R. 
     2227, and urges Congress to move quickly to enact this 
     important piece of legislation. Modernizing the federal IT 
     infrastructure is crucial to ensuring a stronger cyber 
     security foundation. The federal government on average spends 
     nearly 80 percent of its IT budget on servicing and 
     maintaining legacy IT systems, drowning out investments in 
     newer technologies that often deliver better, more secure and 
     less costly services to citizens.--Adobe VP & Public Sector 
     Chief Technology Officer John Landwehr
                                  ____



                                          Amazon Web Services,

                                      Herndon, VA, April 28, 2017.
     Re Support for H.R. 2227, the Modernizing Government 
         Technology Act.
     Hon. Will Hurd,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Robin Kelly,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Gerry Connolly,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Jerry Moran,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Tom Udall,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Hurd, Congresswoman Kelly, Congressman 
     Connolly, Senator Udall, and Senator Moran: On behalf of our 
     customers, we applaud your leadership and commitment to 
     transforming federal information technology (IT) through the 
     Modernizing Government Technology Act (MGT Act), H.R. 2227. 
     At Amazon Web Services, we believe in putting our customers 
     first by giving them the right tools to enable success, and 
     similarly this bipartisan and bicameral legislation gives our 
     customers the funding mechanisms they need to move to more 
     modern and secure federal IT systems and services.
       The MGT Act allows agencies to modernize aging and 
     vulnerable systems and migrate to innovative technologies 
     such as commercial cloud computing. By giving agencies more 
     control over IT investments, the bill creates more strategic, 
     efficient, and common-sense incentives for agency buyers 
     without compromising transparency and oversight. Flexible 
     funding mechanisms like the agency working capital funds in 
     this piece of legislation enable the adoption of the most 
     secure, cutting-edge commercial technologies that the private 
     sector has long adopted.
       The commitment of both Republican and Democrat members in 
     both the House and the Senate on the MGT Act and previous 
     versions of the legislation represents an acknowledgment that 
     Congress must act to improve and secure federal IT. This bill 
     gives the federal government the chance to provide better 
     constituent services that citizens have grown to expect and 
     deserve.
       Again, we applaud the introduction of the MGT Act and urge 
     Congress to act this year to pass the legislation.
           Sincerely,
                                                      Steve Block,
     AWS Public Policy.
                                  ____



                                                      Brocade,

                                                   April 27, 2017.
     Re Modernizing Government Technology Act of 2017.

     Hon. Jason Chaffetz,
     Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, House 
         of Representatives.
     Hon.Will Hurd,
     Chairman, Subcommittee on Information Technology, Committee 
         on Oversight and Government Reform, House of 
         Representatives.
     Hon. Elijah Cummings,
     Ranking Member, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 
         House of Representatives.
     Hon. Robin Kelly,
     Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Information Technology, 
         Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, House of 
         Representatives.
       Dear Chairman Chaffetz, Chairman Hurd, Ranking Member 
     Cummings and Ranking Member Kelly: On behalf of Brocade, I am 
     writing in support of the Modernizing Government Technology 
     Act of 2017. This bipartisan bill is an important step 
     forward to accelerate the modernization of federal IT 
     networks. The Modernizing Government Technology Act will 
     provide federal agencies with critical and flexible financing 
     mechanisms to help break the cycle of federal IT investment 
     in outdated technologies. By facilitating federal agency IT 
     modernization, the bills will help agencies improve IT 
     effectiveness, bolster security, reduce maintenance spending 
     and better serve citizens, warfighters and veterans.
       As an active partner in federal agency network 
     modernization, Brocade appreciates your leadership in moving 
     this bill forward this year. Brocade is committed to working 
     with other stakeholders to achieve the objectives of the 
     Modernizing Government Technology Act to help agencies 
     transition to modern networks that leverage open standards, 
     multivendor networks, and software-based technologies to 
     achieve their mission.
           Sincerely,
                                                      Jeff Rangel,
     Senior Director, Corporate Affairs.
                                  ____



                                              CA Technologies,

                                                      May 1, 2017.
     Hon. Will Hurd,
     Chairman, Subcommittee on Information Technology, Committee 
         on Oversight and Government Reform, House of 
         Representatives, Washington, DC.
     Hon. Gerald Connolly,
     Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Government Operations, 
         Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, House of 
         Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Hurd and Ranking Member Connolly: I am 
     writing to express our support for H.R. 2227, the Modernizing 
     Government Technology Act of 2017 (MGT Act). This Act will 
     help address a vital challenge the Federal government faces 
     in providing better services for its citizens.
       According to the Government Accountability Office, the 
     Federal government spends more than 75 percent of its IT 
     budget on operations and maintenance, rather than on 
     expenditures for new technologies. This limits the ability of 
     the government to provide innovative and efficient services 
     to citizens and it puts federal IT infrastructure at risk.
       The MGT Act will enable agency officials to acquire and 
     deploy new technologies in ways that will help them provide 
     better services and cost savings to citizens in a more secure 
     fashion.
       We want to thank you and your staffs for your tireless work 
     and active engagement with industry on this bill. CA 
     Technologies looks forward to continuing to work with Members 
     of the Committees and with House leadership as this bill 
     moves forward in the legislative process.
           With warmest regards,
                                                    Brendan Peter,
     Vice President, Global Government Relations.
                                  ____


            [From Ian J. Rayder, Government Affairs, Cisco]

       Cisco supports the important goals of the Modernizing 
     Government Technology Act of 2017, which was introduced with 
     bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate. If 
     passed, the bill will accelerate a pivot away from outmoded 
     legacy systems to modernized solutions, which should cut 
     costs, improve security and boost operational efficiency. The 
     MGTA can help the federal government change the status quo 
     where nearly 80% of IT spending is used to maintain aging, 
     insecure, and expensive legacy federal IT systems. We thank 
     Information Technology Subcommittee Chairman Hurd, Ranking 
     Member Kelly, Government Operations Subcommittee Ranking 
     Member Connolly, and Oversight and Government Reform Chairman 
     Chaffetz for their leadership on this important issue.
                                  ____



                                                    Compuware,

                                                      May 1, 2017.
     Hon. Will Hurd,
     Washington, DC.
       Congressman Hurd: Compuware, the world's leading mainframe-
     dedicated software company, is pleased to see the 
     introduction of the Modernizing Government Technology Act of 
     2017. As you know, we are headquartered in Detroit, Michigan 
     with 99% of our development team onsite. Our innovative 
     mainframe software assist the world's largest banks, 
     insurance companies and retail, transportation and government 
     organizations by enabling them to deliver mainframe-supported 
     products and services more quickly, cost-effectively and with 
     a higher level of quality.
       A new generation of Federal IT leaders will soon assume 
     responsibility for guiding the agencies through modernization 
     efforts that meet citizens' increasingly tech-centric 
     demands. Having forged their careers in a period of intensive 
     technological innovation, these leaders are by and large 
     well-prepared to do so and the MGT Act provides a viable 
     funding path to support modernization efforts.
       We are encouraged that the MGT Act suggests that an IT 
     modernization plan should pair the right applications with 
     the right platforms. One of the major platforms being 
     modernized is the mainframe. The reality is, a large 
     percentage of the mission-critical applications and systems 
     that run on the mainframe today will remain there for decades 
     to come. Organizations and agencies should build on what 
     works well and continue to leverage the decades of investment 
     in business rules and intellectual property.

[[Page H4263]]

       Mainframe longevity is no accident. No other computing 
     platform comes close to delivering the performance, 
     scalability, reliability and security of the post-modern 
     mainframe. None offers a lower marginal cost. Nor has any 
     other platform come close to demonstrating a similar ability 
     to adapt to the changes in the world around it decade after 
     decade. The correct course of action is to diligently and 
     smartly leverage a post-modern mainframe for what it does 
     best.
       Thank you for the opportunity to submit comments and we 
     look forward to providing additional information for the 
     Committee Report. Compuware is always available to testify.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Chris O'Malley,
     CEO, Compuware.
                                  ____



                                                         CSRA,

                                 Falls Church, VA, April 28, 2017.
     Re the Modernizing Government Technology Act of 2017.

     Hon. Jason Chaffetz,
     Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
     Hon. Elijah Cummings,
     Ranking Member, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
     Hon. Will Hurd,
     Chairman, Subcommittee on Information Technology, Committee 
         on Oversight and Government Reform.
     Hon. Robin Kelly,
     Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Information Technology, 
         Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
       Congressional Leaders: On behalf of CSRA, I write today to 
     express my strong support for the Modernizing Government 
     Technology Act (MGT Act), which is a shining example of 
     forward-looking leadership from Congress to help move the 
     government into the 21st century. As one of the leading 
     providers of next generation technology to the federal 
     government, CSRA wants to partner in providing solutions that 
     save taxpayer dollars and facilitate a better customer 
     experience for our citizens. The MGT Act is a crucial step 
     forward in creating our shared future of innovation.
       Investing in the transformation of aging IT infrastructure, 
     as the MGT Act will do, will help protect networks currently 
     vulnerable to cybersecurity threats and make government more 
     efficient and effective for the American people. We know that 
     investments like these make highest and best use of the 
     taxpayer dollar, saving enormous sums of money down the line. 
     Innovation has long fueled the American economy; technology 
     can now make possible the achievement of national priorities.
       I salute Congressman Will Hurd, Congresswoman Robin Kelly, 
     Senator Moran, Senator Udall, and the entire bipartisan, 
     bicameral coalition who have brought us to this moment of 
     opportunity. We urge the support of the entire Congress for 
     this legislation, which is a kick-start in creating a 
     government as dynamic and innovative as America itself.
           Sincerely,
     Lawrence B. Prior.
                                  ____



                                            Intel Corporation,

                                     Washington, DC, May 16, 2017.
     Hon. Will Hurd,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Hurd: Intel Corporation commends your 
     leadership in enabling the Federal Government to upgrade its 
     legacy IT Infrastructure through the Modernizing Government 
     Technology Act of 2017.
       Your bill would enable the retirement, replacement, and 
     modernization of legacy IT that is difficult to secure and 
     expensive to maintain. This bill would strengthen the 
     incentives and wherewithal of federal agencies and 
     organizations to invest prudently in IT, thereby saving money 
     and increasing the performance of their IT systems.
       Intel applauds your bi-partisan, bi-cameral effort aimed at 
     making our government work better for all citizens by 
     providing the means to enable it to keep pace with IT 
     innovation.
           Sincerely,
     Peter Pitsch,
       Executive Director, Federal Relations. Associate General 
     Counsel, Intel Corporation.  
                                  ____



                                                    Microsoft,

                                         Redmond, WA, May 2, 2017.
     Rep. Will Hurd,
     Chairman, Subcommittee on Information Technology, Committee 
         on Oversight and Government Reform, House of 
         Representatives, Washington, DC.
     Rep. Robin Kelly,
     Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Information Technology, 
         Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, House of 
         Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Hurd and Ranking Member Kelly: On behalf of 
     Microsoft Corporation, I am writing to congratulate you on 
     introduction of the Modernizing Government Technology Act of 
     2017 (H.R. 2227). Microsoft fully understands the promise 
     modern technology holds for enabling more efficient and 
     effective results for taxpayers and supports your efforts. We 
     commend you for including in the bill a fund to support IT 
     modernization, as it's critically needed by agencies that 
     need to improve their systems but are unable due to budget 
     constraints.
       Microsoft also applauds you for working with the White 
     House Office of American Innovation on this legislation. 
     Having strong bipartisan, bicameral partners, combined with 
     Executive Branch support, demonstrates your commitment to 
     improve the federal information technology procurement 
     process.
       We look forward to working with you and your bipartisan 
     colleagues in the House and Senate as the bill moves through 
     the legislative process.
           Sincerely,

                                  Frederick S. Humphries, Jr.,

                                         Corporate Vice President,
     U.S. Government Affairs (USGA).
                                  ____



                                                       UNISYS,

                                                   April 28, 2017.
     Hon. Will Hurd,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Robin Kelly,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Representatives Hurd and Kelly: On behalf of the 
     Unisys Corporation, thank you for introducing the Modernizing 
     Government Technology Act of 2017 (MGT Act). Unisys strongly 
     supports enactment of the MGT Act because it provides needed 
     flexibility and funding resources to enable the Federal 
     Government to modernize its legacy IT systems and leverage 
     government-wide resources to gain efficiencies.
       As a global information technology company that provides 
     leading edge security solutions to the government and 
     commercial markets, Unisys recognizes that one of the major 
     challenges facing clients is how to fund modernization 
     investments while maintaining existing mission critical IT 
     systems. The MGT Act addresses this challenge by authorizing 
     new modernization funding mechanisms for Federal agencies 
     that will allow them to build in cyber security by design, 
     effectively share government data, create long-term savings 
     and eliminate duplication.
       Thank you again for introducing this much needed 
     legislation.
           Sincerely,
                                             Venkatapathi Puvvada,
     President, Federal Systems.
                                  ____


                  Level 3 Statement on MGT Act of 2017

       Today, Representatives Will Hurd (R-TX), Robin Kelly (D-IL) 
     and Gerry Connolly (D-VA), and Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS) 
     and Tom Udall (D-NM), introduced the Modernizing Government 
     Technology Act of 2017 to provide federal agencies additional 
     resources and flexibility to modernize outdated information 
     technology systems. Below is a statement from Level 3 
     Communications:
       ``Level 3 Communications applauds Representatives Hurd, 
     Kelly and Connolly, and Senators Moran and Udall, for 
     championing federal IT reform and their commitment to 
     maximizing the value of taxpayer dollars by transforming how 
     the government invests in technology. Level 3 stands ready to 
     continue our collaboration with federal agencies to transform 
     their networks to improve efficiency, reduce costs and 
     maximize security.''

  Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and 
I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I thank my friends, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hurd) and the 
gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Kelly), for their leadership in bringing 
this bill to the floor.
  Of course, I rise in support of the bill, H.R. 2227, the Modernizing 
Government Technology Act of 2017.
  Mr. Speaker, over the past several years, we have all witnessed the 
chaos and havoc that sophisticated cyber attacks can, and do, wreak on 
our Nation and around the world.
  Just this past week, there was a massive ransomware attack that hit 
200,000 victims in 150 countries, and those numbers are expected to 
grow exponentially. This is just the latest in a string of high-profile 
attacks, including Sony, Yahoo, the OPM data breach, and even efforts 
to influence our elections and those in Europe.
  These attacks jeopardize America's safety, privacy, and cost untold 
millions of dollars in the private sector and public sector as well. 
These attacks affect both the public and private sector, and bad actors 
repeatedly target our Federal Government. Those attacks often succeed 
because Federal computer systems are so outdated that they cannot 
implement network defenses as basic as encryption. Some legacy systems 
go back a half a century.
  The Federal Government spends nearly $60 billion a year sustaining 
its existing IT systems. When agencies are forced to spend nearly 80 
percent of that to maintain legacy computer systems, they have fewer 
resources to modernize and reinvest. As a result, agencies cannot 
afford to invest in the modern technologies that other large 
enterprises need to survive. Many Federal agencies do not use cloud 
computing to help secure computer networks and improve our ability to 
deliver services to the American people.

[[Page H4264]]

  The MGT Act we are talking about today and on which I am proud to be 
one of the lead Democratic cosponsors is a critical step to help 
improve the Federal Government's IT systems. The MGT Act of 2017 will 
help our cyber defenders protect our most important digital resources.
  This bill marries two bills from the previous Congress, both of which 
I was proud to be an original cosponsor of--the IT Modernization Act 
and the MOVE IT Act. The MGT Act establishes a clear role for both of 
these pieces of legislation to improve Federal IT systems.
  I was an original cosponsor for Minority Whip Steny Hoyer's IT 
Modernization Act, which created a revolving fund using $3 billion 
appropriations for Treasury to replace legacy systems.
  I was pleased to join my friend, Ms. Kelly, the ranking member of the 
Information Technology Subcommittee, and Mr. Hurd, on the MOVE IT Act, 
which revived a proposal first discussed during the consideration of 
the legislation FITARA, the Federal Information Technology Acquisition 
Reform Act.
  These two bills were different, but complementary, and worked, 
ultimately, to join the two to create this act in front of us today, 
the MGT Act. That act lays the foundation for the future of IT 
modernization funding and reinvestment and investment by the Federal 
Government long overdue. The act will authorize an upfront investment 
to retire minimal large-scale legacy systems and affect multiple 
agencies.
  This bipartisan, bicameral legislation will provide mechanisms and 
much-needed funding for agencies to speed up that slow process of 
moving from legacy IT systems to cutting-edge, 21st century 
technologies. It would also provide needed reporting requirements to 
ensure that agencies are acquiring modern technology and that we can 
measure that it is being done in a cost-effective way. It places an 
emphasis on following the practices of private industry and moving 
toward cloud computing solutions.
  The MGT Act language will allow agencies to reinvest those savings, 
as my friend just indicated, and that is a commonsense proposal, but 
not one we find commonly in the Federal Government.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the act, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I know the gentleman from the Commonwealth of 
Virginia has a few more speakers, so I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), my friend, the distinguished whip on the 
Democratic side.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Hurd for his leadership on this 
issue. I am pleased to work with him on it.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill.
  It will not be a controversial bill. It will not make the front page 
of the paper tomorrow. People will not be seized of this bill passing. 
But this bill may well have a very great consequence to it and to the 
efficiency and effectiveness of our Federal Government.
  Last July, I outlined a series of reforms to renew America's faith in 
their government, which included modernizing government technology. Not 
long after, I introduced the Information Technology Modernization Act 
to achieve that goal; and, of course, Mr. Connolly was a cosponsor with 
me on that bill.
  I am glad that this bill on the floor today includes my legislation. 
It would be a major step toward ensuring that our government is using 
the latest technology systems, is well protected from cyber threats, 
and can serve the American people more effectively.

                              {time}  1500

  Mr. Hurd came over to me on the floor and we talked about our two 
ideas. As the gentleman from Virginia has said, they were 
complementary, and I am pleased that we could work together to put 
these bills together and that we now have agreement with the Senate. We 
passed a bill through the House.
  Last week's major global cyber attack was yet another reminder of how 
critical it is that our government's technology systems are upgraded to 
the latest and most secure technology. If any lesson was needed, we got 
it.
  Americans count on government agencies to protect their personal 
data, and our security agencies rely on our government systems to 
safeguard classified and sensitive information. Unfortunately, our 
government technology systems are now far behind the latest technology 
and are in desperate need of upgrades.
  I congratulate the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Kelly) for her work 
on this effort.
  What this legislation does is authorize the creation of a technology 
modernization fund to finance rapid upgrades of government technology 
systems similar to funds that are available in the private sector so 
they can move quickly and seize the best and latest technology 
available. It would prioritize the systems that are the most 
vulnerable, and it would implement best practices from the private 
sector. In other words, those that are working least well will be the 
first addressed.
  Once upgrades are completed, agencies will pay back into the fund 
from the savings achieved through greater efficiency, i.e., a revolving 
fund, making it possible then to finance additional projects in a way 
that is self-sustaining after the initial investment. All of this would 
be done in a way that is transparent and accountable.
  Once this bill is enacted, we must take the next step and provide, of 
course, that initial funding.
  I have been proud to work across the aisle with Majority Leader 
McCarthy, Chairman Chaffetz, Mr. Hurd, and, of course, my dear, dear 
friend from Virginia, my colleague in the Washington metropolitan area, 
Representative Connolly on our side.
  Representative Kelly, whom I just mentioned, and Congressman Ted Lieu 
have also been champions of this effort, and I thank them for their 
input and their strong support as we worked to bring it to the floor in 
a bipartisan fashion.
  Again, I want to say how pleased I am to work on these issues with 
all of my colleagues, but particularly with the majority leader, Mr. 
McCarthy, my friend from California, and thank him for his leadership.
  I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting the Modernizing 
Government Technology Act, and I hope the Trump administration will 
include investment to capitalize this new fund in their fiscal 2018 
budget.
  Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the 
gentleman from California (Mr. McCarthy), the distinguished majority 
leader.
  Mr. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, before the minority whip departs, I want 
to thank him for his work on this. This has really been a bipartisan 
effort, and it is really putting the country first. The gentleman is 
correct: This might not make headlines, but this will have a greater 
effect on our government being more efficient, effective, and 
accountable. We thank him for his work on it.
  Mr. Speaker, there are some things we get used to hearing, but when 
you think about it, it is amazing just how much things have changed.
  I hear a friend say that all of the photos he took on his phone 
automatically updated to his cloud--not surprising there. But how long 
ago was it that we couldn't even take pictures on our phone, much less 
have them saved automatically on a cloud?
  Nowadays, it is not uncommon to cash your checks online, manage your 
accounts on Mint, pay individuals back online. Many millennials don't 
even carry cash anymore. That is a revolution in money management that 
just happened in a matter of years.
  So, Mr. Speaker, why in the world would the Department of Defense use 
a 54-year-old system as a backup to send and receive emergency messages 
for our nuclear forces, a 54-year-old system that relies on floppy 
disks? Why would the master file of the public's taxes at the IRS run 
on a 1950s code?
  Eighty percent of the $80 billion we spend each year on IT is used to 
maintain legacy systems, to buy expensive parts that nobody uses 
anymore for a 54-year-old system we shouldn't even have.
  We would expect more from the private sector. We would expect mobile 
cameras, cloud computing, online banking. Heck, we would even expect to 
upgrade our phones and apps and

[[Page H4265]]

technology on a rolling basis every single week. Well, why should we 
expect less from the Federal Government?
  I would say this is about more than expectations. We all saw what 
happened over the weekend with the massive global cyber attack: 
hospitals shut down, transportation systems. This is a government 
service issue. It is a government waste issue. It is a national 
security issue.
  Now, government may never be like Silicon Valley, but it should not 
be stuck in the age of ``Mad Men.'' That is not only costly, it is 
dangerous.
  Will Hurd, an individual that has served his Nation in some of the 
most dangerous parts of the world, an individual who worked in the 
private sector when it came to technology, an individual who serves in 
this body and, I will say this based upon everybody else I have served, 
probably has the most bipartisan approach of anyone I have ever seen 
serve in that position--he doesn't care about party. It is just as the 
time when he worked in the CIA. He cares about his country. He has seen 
the most deadly things happen, and, through his technology company, he 
has seen that people fight wars new ways.
  So he took it upon himself--it is not the issue that people would 
campaign upon, but it is an issue that he saw needed a solution. He 
worked with both sides of the aisle, and he said: Why can't we 
modernize our own technology?

  The Veterans Administration was created in 1921, and if somebody that 
was a veteran had a problem and a claim, they would write it on a piece 
of paper. In 1921, on a warm day like today, we would have fans going 
to try to cool ourselves down. We would rush, after we got done voting, 
to turn on our radios to see what the news was saying.
  Well, the world all changed. We can look at our phones and get the 
news instantaneously. We got central air to cool ourselves down. And if 
you have a claim with the VA, lots of times they write it on a piece of 
paper.
  Well, do you know what? That is all going to stop today. That is 
going to stop because we are going to make a smart investment. We are 
going to make the Federal Government have the same accountability that 
we expect in business or anywhere else.
  And do you know what will happen? Government will become more 
effective, more efficient, more accountable, and more transparent.
  So I want to tip my hat to both sides of the aisle, and especially to 
Congressman Will Hurd. He took the leadership, had the tenacity to stay 
with it and the ability to work with all on, really, the issue that 
people wouldn't talk about but expect to happen, and he was the right 
person at the right time to make the push. That is why I support this 
bill.
  Mr. CONNOLLY. May I inquire of the Speaker how much time is left on 
this side?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Rogers of Kentucky). The gentleman from 
Virginia has 11\1/2\ minutes remaining.
  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to yield 5\1/2\ minutes to the 
gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Kelly), my good friend.
  Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support this 
commonsense, bipartisan bill that updates our woefully outdated IT 
infrastructure.
  I want to say thank you to my good friend and partner on the IT 
subcommittee, Chairman Hurd, for his leadership on this very important 
measure and to my colleagues who worked so hard on this bill: Chairman 
Chaffetz, Ranking Member Cummings, our House leadership stewards--
Democratic Whip Hoyer from the majority, Mr. McCarthy--and Mr. Connolly 
of Virginia for his energy and work in dealing with this bill. I also 
want to give a special thanks to all of the staff and a special shout-
out to my staff: Jay Cho and Zach Ostro.
  The Modernizing Government Technology Act has come a long way from 
the early days when it was called MOVE IT. It has been a tough and 
sometimes frustrating journey, but we have made it, and we have a good 
bill in front of us.
  Last year, the House passed this bill only to have it die in the 
Senate. Despite these roadblocks, we kept working because it is worth 
it. This bill will revolutionize and upgrade our outdated IT fractured 
while bringing cost-saving innovation and greater security to 
government agencies.
  In my years serving as the ranking member of the Oversight 
Committee's IT Subcommittee, I have learned one thing: We need to get 
back to basics, and this bill does just that.
  Our current use-it-or-lose-it approach to Federal IT just isn't 
working. It is no secret that Federal agencies are struggling to stay 
up to date, especially when compared to the private sector.
  Each year, we spend $80 billion in taxpayer dollars to maintain 
legacy IT systems that are vulnerable to cyber attacks; and each year 
that we don't upgrade these systems, they become even more difficult 
and expensive to secure. This is unacceptable and a waste of taxpayer 
dollars.
  For too long, we have kicked the can down the road and left our 
outdated IT systems vulnerable to costly attacks. The dangers of our 
system are clear. Every day we are reminded of the importance of having 
modern IT systems and robust cybersecurity practices in place.
  In 2015, hackers made off with the personal information of more than 
20 million Americans, including congressional staffers, in the OPM data 
breach. Just this past week, as you have heard, a global ransomware 
attack, WannaCry or WannaCrypt, wreaked havoc worldwide, paralyzing 
businesses and governments alike. These attacks will only grow more 
frequent and more difficult to combat.
  The MGT Act is a major step in the right direction. It will cut costs 
and enhance our security. It builds on prior work like Clinger-Cohen 
and FITARA, and it gives agencies the flexibility needed to modernize 
vulnerable systems and develop cost savings for taxpayers.
  Under this bill, agencies can take the savings from upgrading their 
systems and reinvest them into their working capital fund for future IT 
modernization. We are going to go from an outdated method of purchasing 
IT to one that empowers CIOs to make smart, strategic investments in 
innovative technologies; and as an end result, our data will be more 
secure and our government more efficient.
  I am proud of this bill, and I am proud of the bipartisan work that 
made it possible, proud of what we accomplished by working together on 
the IT Subcommittee.
  The MGT Act is a necessary component to strengthening our 
cybersecurity that saves taxpayers money. I urge my colleagues to 
support this bill.
  Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform my friend from the 
Commonwealth that I have no further speakers and am prepared to close.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  In closing, I think this is an important piece in the information 
technology modernization effort that our committee and this body has 
undertaken for the last 5 or 6 years. One of the key pieces of 
legislation undergirding today's bill is the Federal Information 
Technology Acquisition Reform Act I was proud to cowrite and coauthor 
with then-Chairman Darrell Issa.
  I am equally proud today to have worked with my friend Mr. Hurd from 
Texas, my friend Ms. Kelly from Illinois, and, of course, Mr. Steny 
Hoyer, the Democratic whip, in forging this additional piece that we 
believe will bring the Federal Government into the 21st century--
technologically literate and protecting the databases that protect the 
American people.

  Hundreds of millions of pieces of data are at risk in the current 
cyber environment, and some simple but critical investments can make 
all the difference. That is what we are voting for today.
  I urge passage of the legislation and, again, congratulate my 
colleagues and friends for working together in a bipartisan way to 
bring this bill to fruition.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, we have some young folks in the Chamber right now, and I 
hope they recognize that this is how their government is supposed to 
work: people working together, putting their differences past them for 
the betterment of our great Nation.

[[Page H4266]]

  It is an honor for me to have this opportunity to do this with so 
many of my friends that I have grown to love and respect over these 
last 2 years. And we get to save government money, protect our digital 
infrastructure, and make sure that our government is providing the kind 
of services we should and that the American people demand.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this bill, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the MGT Act and 
of continued efforts to improve the federal government's cybersecurity 
posture. I would like to thank Mr. Hurd for his tireless efforts 
advocating for this bill and his partners on the Oversight Committee, 
Mr. Connolly and Ms. Kelly for their cybersecurity leadership. I also 
must acknowledge the House's Minority Whip and my good friend, Mr. 
Hoyer, for his work pushing for IT modernization.
  The idea for the kind of revolving fund included as part of the MGT 
Act grew out of President Obama's Cybersecurity National Action Plan, 
itself issued in direct response to the massive breach of the Office of 
Personnel Management. OPM was yet another wake up call to the 
government about the lax attitude toward security present at many 
agencies, but, to the prior administration's credit, the CNAP contained 
a number of needed policy shifts, including the creation of a federal 
Chief Information Security Officer and the use of DHS's authority to 
conduct a government-wide review of high value assets.
  Central to the CNAP, though, was the realization that attempting to 
secure antiquated federal IT systems was a losing proposition. Just as 
the Internet--developed in the 1970s--was not created with security in 
mind, so, too, are many older government systems devoid of even basic 
security controls. When we think about the fact that the iPhone turns 
ten next month and the huge improvements that have been made from the 
first generation model to today's, it's easy to see how systems that 
are two or three decades old can hamper security.
  Using outdated software also compromises efficiency. There's a reason 
businesses keep up to date with technology--it saves them money. The 
cleverness of the revolving fund approach is that it uses these savings 
to drive further upgrades in a virtuous cycle. I hope that the MGT Act 
is viewed as a pilot program, as there is a lot more technical debt we 
have incurred than will be solved by $250 million per year. But it is a 
very important first step, and I commend the sponsors for their work. 
And I hope that federal agencies view this bill as license to be 
innovative in their upgrade planning and to bring us a more efficient--
and secure--government.

                              {time}  1515

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hurd) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 2227, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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