October 20, 2000
Thompson Says Federal Agencies Aren’t Fully
Complying
with Information Management Law
WASHINGTON---U.S. Senate Governmental Affairs Committee
Chairman Fred Thompson (R-TN) today released a report showing that
federal agencies are not fully complying with the Clinger-Cohen
Act, a 1996 information technology management law. The Committee
played a large role in the passage of the Act which requires
agencies to make sound investment decisions before buying
information technology systems. The Clinger-Cohen Act was the
result of the Committee’s reviews of failed computer system
acquisitions such as the IRS’s $7 billion Tax Systems
Modernization project and the National Weather Service’s nearly
$500 million Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System.
"The report released today reveals what we feared the most
– that the Administration is not enforcing the laws that
Congress passed over four years ago," Chairman Thompson said.
"The next President will be faced with many management
challenges, including this one, so I hope this is the wake-up call
that’s needed. The next Administration must focus on managing
government information technology systems, so we can help agencies
meet their goals and improve taxpayer services."
The report shows that 16 agencies neither developed nor
submitted IT management reports that included accomplishments,
progress, and identification of areas requiring attention. One
quarter of agencies listed projects that deviated significantly
from cost or schedule goals. According to the report, agencies are
not using sound business procedures before investing in
information technology, so they are unable to improve program
performance and meet their mission goals.
# # #
Investigative
Report of SENATOR FRED THOMPSON on Federal Agency Compliance with
The Clinger-Cohen Act
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