11-2-05, Bill Passed House 408-0
Referred to Senate
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4061
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
November 4, 2005
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
AN ACT
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the management
of information technology within the Department of Veterans Affairs by providing
for the Chief Information Officer of that Department to have authority over
resources, budget, and personnel related to the support function of information
technology, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Department of Veterans Affairs Information
Technology Management Improvement Act of 2005'.
SEC. 2. MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS.
(a) Resources, Budget, and Personnel Authority of Chief Information Officer-
Section 310 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the
end the following new subsections:
`(c) To support the economical, efficient, and effective execution of the
information technology objectives, policies, and plans of the Department
in support of Department goals, the Secretary shall ensure that the Chief
Information Officer has the authority and control necessary for the development,
approval, implementation, integration, and oversight of policies, procedures,
processes, activities, and systems of the Department relating to the management
of information technology for the Department, including the management of
all related mission applications, information resources, personnel, and
infrastructure.
`(d)(1) The Secretary, acting through the Chief Information Officer, shall
develop, implement, and maintain a process for the selection and oversight
of information technology for the Department.
`(2) As components of the development of the process required by paragraph
(1), the Secretary shall develop for the Department--
`(A) an information technology strategic plan that includes performance
measurements; and
`(B) an integrated enterprise architecture.
`(3) The information technology strategic plan shall set forth a multiyear
plan for the use of information technology and related resources to support
the accomplishment of the Department's mission.
`(4) The Chief Information Officer shall review and update the information
technology strategic plan and the integrated enterprise architecture on
an ongoing basis to maintain the currency of the plan and the currency of
the enterprise architecture with technological changes and changing mission
needs of the Department.
`(e)(1) Funds may be obligated for information technology for the Department
only in accordance with the process implemented under paragraph (1) or as
otherwise specifically authorized or delegated by the Chief Information
Officer or as otherwise directed by the Secretary.
`(2)(A) Amounts appropriated for the Department for any fiscal year that
are available for information technology shall be allocated within the Department,
consistent with the provisions of appropriations Acts, in such manner as
may be specified by, or approved by, the Chief Information Officer.
`(B) If for any fiscal year amounts referred to in subparagraph (A) that
are available for the Veterans Health Administration (or are otherwise available
for functions relating to medical care) are to be allocated under subparagraph
(A) in a manner that is inconsistent with the allocation method known as
the Veterans Equitable Resource Allocation, such allocation may be made
only with the approval of the Secretary and after the Under Secretary for
Health is notified.
`(3) When the budget for any fiscal year is submitted by the President to
Congress under section 1105 of title 31, the Secretary shall submit to Congress
a report that identifies amounts requested for information technology for
the Department. The report shall set forth those amounts both for each Administration
within the Department and for the Department in the aggregate and shall
identify, for each such amount, how that amount is aligned with and supports
the information technology strategic plan under subsection (d), as then
in effect.
`(f)(1) The Chief Information Officer shall select the Chief Information
Officer for each of the Veterans Health Administration, the Veterans Benefits
Administration, and the National Cemetery Administration. Any such selection
may only be made after consultation with the Under Secretary with responsibility
for the Administration for which the selection is to be made.
`(2) Each Administration Chief Information Officer selected under paragraph
(1)--
`(A) shall be designated as a Department Deputy Chief Information Officer;
and
`(B) shall report to the Department Chief Information Officer.
`(3) The Department Deputy Chief Information Officers are responsible for
implementing in their respective Administrations, as directed by the Department
Chief Information Officer, the information technology strategic plan and
the integrated enterprise architecture developed for the Department by the
Department Chief Information Officer pursuant to subsection (d)(2).
`(4) To accomplish the policies, programmatic goals, information technology
system acquisitions, and alignments prescribed, authorized, or directed
by the Department Chief Information Officer, each Department Deputy Chief
Information Officer shall maintain, for their respective Administrations,
operational control of all information technology system assets and personnel
necessary, including direct management of the Administration's software
and applications development activities.
`(5) The Department Deputy Chief Information Officers--
`(A) shall be the principal advocate for the information technology needs
of their respective Administrations; and
`(B) shall assure, by coordinating with the Department Chief Information
Officer, that the business and mission needs of their respective Administrations
are met by considering requirements at all levels.
`(g)(1) The Secretary shall ensure that the annual report submitted by the
Secretary pursuant to section 11313 of title 40 includes an identification
of any obligation approved by the Chief Information Officer under subsection
(e)(1), including the date, amount, and purpose of such obligation.
`(2) The Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of
the Senate and House of Representatives an annual report, not later than
March 1 of each year (beginning in 2009), providing the Secretary's assessment
of the implementation during the year covered by the report of the provisions
of subsections (c), (d), and (e). Each such report shall include--
`(A) the assessment of the Secretary as to increased efficiency within
the Department of information technology acquisition processes, management,
responsibility, and accountability as a result of those provisions; and
`(B) estimated cost savings to the Department as a result of those provisions.
`(h) In this section, the term `information technology' has the meaning
given that term in paragraph (6) of section 11101 of title 40.'.
(b) Reports to Congress on Implementation-
(1) PERIODIC PROGRESS REPORTS-
(A) REPORTS REQUIRED- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit
to Congress progress reports on the implementation of subsections (c),
(d), and (e), of section 310 of title 38, United States Code, as added
by subsection (a).
(B) TIME FOR PROGRESS REPORTS- A report under subparagraph (A) shall
be submitted as expeditiously as feasible after the end of the 60-day
period, the 90-day period, and the 180-day period beginning on the date
of the enactment of this Act.
(C) MATTER TO BE INCLUDED- Each report under this paragraph shall set
out the progress to date on the implementation of the provisions specified
in subparagraph (A).
(2) INTERIM REPORTS- After the completion of the first 12 months, and
after the completion of the first 18 months, of the implementation of
the provisions specified in paragraph (1)(A), the Secretary shall submit
to Congress an interim report on the operation of those provisions to
that date. Each such report shall include the following:
(A) The assessment of the Secretary as to increased efficiency within
the Department of Veterans Affairs of information technology acquisition
processes, management, responsibility, and accountability.
(B) Estimated cost savings to the Department as a result of those provisions.
(3) FINAL IMPLEMENTATION REPORT- Not later than January 1, 2008, the Secretary
shall submit to Congress a final report on the implementation of the provisions
specified in paragraph (1)(A). The Secretary shall include in that report
the matters specified in paragraph (2) and the Secretary's recommendation
for any modifications to information technology management within the
Department of Veterans Affairs.
Passed the House of Representatives November 2, 2005.
Attest:
JEFF TRANDAHL,
Clerk.
END
