E-Gov bill signed

President Bush today signed the E-Government Act of 2002, HR 2458, into law during a White House ceremony.

The law, which many believe is the most sweeping legislation since Congress passed the Clinger-Cohen Act six years ago, codifies the administration's initiative to automate many agencies' services to citizens.

"The President's signing of this bill today brings the federal government fully into the electronic age, giving taxpayers the same round-the-clock access to government that they have come to expect from the private sector," said Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (D-Conn.), who sponsored the original version of the bill in May 2001. "And with its emphasis on better management of information services, this law will significantly add to our overall homeland defenses."

Reps. Jim Turner (D-Texas) and Tom Davis (R-Va.) sponsored the House version.

The law requires the Office of Management and Budget to establish an Office of E-Government and appoint a director. It authorizes Congress to allocate $45 million in fiscal 2004, $50 million in 2005 and $250 million over the following two years for an e-government fund. The measure also institutes tighter IT security standards for agencies that OMB will establish with the help assistance of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.