Lawmakers Consider Codifying Federal Management, Information Offices
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Lawmakers in both the House of Representatives and the Senate are considering proposals to establish and codify federal offices that will help implement agency policies. During a House Committee on Oversight and Reform (COR) Subcommittee on Government Operations hearing Friday, lawmakers considered Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommendation to formalize the Chief Information Officer position.
In the Senate, Chair of the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee (HSGAC) Gary Peters (D-MI) introduced legislation to codify the Office of Executive Councils within the General Services Administration (GSA). Senator Peters’ legislation, the Governmentwide Executive Councils Administration and Performance Improvement Act (S. 4828), would increase oversight over how agencies spend funds to meet administrative priorities. The Office of Executive Councils within GSA would house governmentwide policymaking entities such as the Chief Human Capital Officers Council, the Performance Improvement Council and the President’s Management Council.
According to the bill, the Office would serve as the “primary advisory body” to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regarding the development and execution of federal government performance and priority goals.
The Office would assist each Council under its authority with developing strategic plans for submission to Congress and work with the Councils to update those plans regularly. The presidentially appointed director of the Office would also be responsible for helping distribute funding for agencies to meet foals outlined in the President’s Management Agenda.
Upon introducing the bill Senator Peters said, “In every administration, the president’s management agenda is critical to advancing a more efficient and accountable government for the American people… That is why we must provide federal agencies with support and resources they need to effectively implement it.”
Senator Mike Braun (R-IN) is cosponsoring the legislation with Senator Peters. Senator Braun said, “I came from my business to Washington because I think the government should run more efficiently, like a well-run business… I’m proud to introduce this bill with Sen. Peters to improve government performance and increase accountability to taxpayers to get results.”
Meanwhile, last week the House held a hearing focused on government efforts to modernize technology. The hearing followed the White House’s recent publication of the Information Technology Operating Plan and a GAO report released last Thursday calling on federal Chief Information Officers (CIOs) to take lessons from the private sector.
Federal CIO Clare Martorana testified regarding various IT related issues, including the prevalence of legal systems and how agencies may leverage the Technology Modernization Fund to update these systems. During the discussion, Representative Gerry Connolly (D-VA), who chairs the COR Subcommittee on Government Operations, highlighted the GAO finding that the Federal CIO role has never been codified in federal statute.
“I must say I'm biased in favor of codifying things in law, because that gives it standing, that regularizes oversight, that empowers people in your job. And all of that's very important, frankly, in a large bureaucracy, both here in Congress and in the executive branch,” Rep. Connolly said.
Ranking Member of the Subcommittee, Rep. Jody Hice (R-GA), questioned CIO Martorana on her “seat at the table,” noting the importance of ensuring the Federal CIO is involved in conversations surrounding federal cybersecurity programs.
The House passed legislation in 2019 to codify the role of the federal CIO, but the Senate did not.
