    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book II)]
    [December 17, 2002]
    [Pages 2200-2201]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Signing the E-Government Act of 2002
    December 17, 2002

        Today I have signed into law H.R. 2458, the ``E-Government Act of
    2002.'' This legislation builds upon my Administration's expanding E-
    Government initiative by ensuring strong leadership of the information
    technology activities of Federal agencies, a comprehensive framework for
    information security standards and programs, and uniform safeguards to
    protect the confidentiality of information provided by the public for
    statistical purposes. The Act will also assist in expanding the use of
    the Internet and computer resources in order to deliver Government
    services, consistent with the reform principles I outlined on July 10,
    2002, for a citizen-centered, results-oriented, and market-based
    Government.
        Title II of this Act authorizes agencies to award ``share-in-
    savings'' contracts under which contractors share in the savings
    achieved by agencies through the provision of technologies that improve
    or accelerate their work. The executive branch shall ensure, consistent
    with applicable law, that these contracts are operated according to
    sound fiscal policy and limit authorized waivers for funding of
    potential termination costs to appropriate circumstances, so as to
    minimize the financial risk to the Government.
        Title III of this Act is the Federal Information Security Management
    Act of 2002. It is very similar to title X of the Homeland Security Act
    of 2002, which also bears the

    [[Page 2201]]

    name Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002 and which I
    signed into law on November 25, 2002. I am signing into law the E-
    Government Act after the enactment of the Homeland Security Act, and
    there is no indication that the Congress intended the E-Government Act
    to provide interim provisions that would apply only until the Homeland
    Security Act took effect. Thus, notwithstanding the delayed effective
    dates applicable to the Homeland Security Act, the executive branch will
    construe the E-Government Act as permanently superseding the Homeland
    Security Act in those instances where both Acts prescribe different
    amendments to the same provisions of the United States Code.
        Finally, the executive branch shall construe and implement the Act
    in a manner consistent with the President's constitutional authorities
    to supervise the unitary executive branch and to protect sensitive
    national security, law enforcement, and foreign relations information.
    In particular, consistent with my constitutional authorities and section
    301(c) of this Act, the executive branch shall construe the Act in a
    manner that preserves the authorities of the Secretary of Defense, the
    Director of Central Intelligence, and other agency heads with regard to
    the operation, control, and management of national security systems.

                                                              George W. Bush

     The White House,

     December 17, 2002.

    Note: H.R. 2458, approved December 17, was assigned Public Law No. 107-
    347. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language
    version of this statement.