Lieberman, OMB approach a compromise on <br>e-gov bill

Office of Management and Budget officials are negotiating with Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) about his e-government bill, S 803, in an effort to make the administration’s request for $45 million for 24 approved e-gov projects more palatable to lawmakers.Lieberman’s 2001 E-Government Act, introduced in May, has not advanced since a July hearing of the Governmental Affairs Committee. The bill would establish a federal CIO within OMB, codify the CIO Council, authorize an interagency e-gov fund in the Treasury Department, and provide for share-in-savings contracting and a host of other initiatives.The administration does not favor the idea of a federal CIO—a serious sticking point for Lieberman’s bill. But the negotiators have made some headway, and a compromise version possibly could make its way out of committee soon.An e-gov office would allay some congressional fears because the e-gov funds would then be authorized by legislation instead of appropriated through line items. Some representatives also have expressed concern about OMB managing the e-gov money, and a compromise bill could resolve both issues.