Bush's submits fiscal 2007 IT budget

Under President Bush's fiscal 2007 budget request submitted to Congress today, agencies would receive an IT budget of $64.2 billion?a 3 percent increase over fiscal 2006.

While the 2006 request was more than $65 billion, the increase for next year would be based on the total dollars Congress enacted for IT in 2006?$62.5 billion, according to budget documents.

The IT budget increase is part of Bush's overall $2.7 trillion proposal that holds discretionary spending to $870.7 billion, which is a 3.2 percent increase over 2006.

In the budget, the administration said it will launch three new Lines of Business Consolidation initiatives for IT infrastructure, budget formulation and geospatial investments.

The Office of Management and Budget, as expected, named three Grants LOB Centers of Excellence?the departments of Education and Health and Human Services, and the National Science Foundation. OMB expects the Grants COEs to help save more than $2.4 billion between 2008 and 2015.

The president also requested $5.5 billion for health IT, which is a $100 million increase over 2006.

The number of projects on the management watch list also decreased for the second straight year. OMB reported 263 projects, worth $9.9 billion, are at risk for not implementing earned value management, security or establishing performance measures. OMB said agencies fixed 84 percent of the 342 major projects identified in the 2006 budget request on the management watch list?leaving only 19 business cases valued at $314.5 million.

Jason Miller is assistant managing editor of Washington Technology's sister publication, Government Computer News.