Seeking a good VA CIO

Testimony before the House Veterans Affairs Committee

The Department of Veterans Affairs' chief information officer will play a central role at the agency, says VA secretary Anthony Principi.

"The CIO will be a very, very important position," he said. That person is "going to have a very prominent role in our administration."

Principi is seeking someone from the private sector who can take on the daunting task of guiding the VA's disparate information technology efforts. But finding the right person willing to work for the $130,000 annual salary "is a tough feat," he said.

David McClure, the General Accounting Office's director of IT management issues, said appointing a CIO is "long overdue." But the job will be a challenge because of the VA's highly decentralized structure, which gives the CIO little leverage over subordinate organizations, he said.

In the meantime, Principi has named Guy McMichael III as acting CIO.

Principi may also ask Congress for authority to create a new undersecretary for management who would spearhead management reforms across the organization. That decision could come in a few months.