E-Gov Fund

= Introduction =

The Electronic Government Fund (or e-gov fund) has been used in recent years to financially support government-wide government openness and transparency through innovative IT projects like data.gov, USASpending.gov, the Federal IT Dashboard, Challenge.gov, and others. The $34 million appropriated to the fund in FY 2009 and FY 2010 was cut to $8 million in 2011, resulting in the elimination of some programs and a freeze in development of others. Congress is debating to what extent to restore funding -- the House Appropriations Committee proposed an increase to nearly $16 million, while Senate Appropriators have suggested cutting it further -- so that the quick-paced high-impact programs that it makes possible can flourish.

= First Reads =


 * Senate Approps Shortchange E-Gov (9/16/2011) http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/09/16/senate-approps-shortchange-e-gov/
 * The Way Forward to Save the Data (4/18/2011) http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/04/18/the-way-forward-to-save-the-data/
 * Have we saved the data? Maybe (4/5/2011) http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/04/05/have-we-saved-the-data-maybe/
 * Budget Technopocalypse: Proposed Congressional Budgets Slash Funding for Data Transparency (3/23/2011) http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/03/23/transparency-technopocalypse-proposed-congressional-budgets-slash-funding-for-data-transparency/

Fast Facts

 * E-Gov was appropriated $34 million in FY 2009 and FY 2010. In FY 2011, it was cut to $8m. For FY 2012, according to GSA, the House Appropriations Committee approved $15.8 million; the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $7.4 million.
 * More than 10,000 people signed a petition in support of fully funding e-gov, including Sir Tim Berners-Lee (who invented the World Wide Web), Craig Newmark (the founder of Craig's List), and Tim O'Reilly (founder of O'Reilly media).
 * In the last few years, the E-gov Fund has supported more than a dozen projects, including USASpending.gov, Data.Gov, Mobile Apps, and Challenge.gov.
 * The E-Gov Fund was created in 2002 by the E-Government Act of 2002 to promote "web-based Internet applications or other information technology to enhance the access to and delivery of government information and services to the public, other agencies, and other Government entities; or to bring about improvements in Government operations that may include effectiveness, efficiency, service quality, or transformation."
 * Statements on E-Gov Fund cuts. Senator Lieberman and Rep. Jose Serrano, former federal CIO Vivek Kundra, Sen. Tom Carper, Rep. Darrell Issa, GSA Citizens Services Associate Administrator David McClure

= Sunlight Foundation Articles =


 * GAO Progress Report for the E-Gov Fund (9/27/2011) http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/09/27/gao-looks-at-e-gov/
 * Senate Approps Shortchange E-Gov (9/16/2011) http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/09/16/senate-approps-shortchange-e-gov/
 * E-Gov Funding Up for Consideration by Senate Approps on Wednesday (9/12/2011) http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/09/12/e-gov-funding-up-for-consideration-by-senate-approps-on-wednesday/
 * Getting the Data Act's Act Together (7/11/2011) http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/07/11/getting-the-data-acts-act-together/
 * H. Approps Oks E-Gov Funding at $13m, Bill Advances to House (6/23/2011) http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/06/23/h-approps-oks-e-gov-funding-at-13m-bill-advances-to-house/
 * E-Gov Markup Set for Thursday by Full H. Appropriations Committee (6/21/2011) http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/06/21/e-gov-markup-set-for-thursday-by-full-h-appropriations-committee/
 * Bidding Farewell to Federal CIO Vivek Kundra (6/16/2011) http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/06/16/bidding-farewell-to-federal-cio-vivek-kundra/
 * Draft H. Appropriations Bill Would Slightly Increase E-Gov Fund (6/15/2011) http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/06/15/house_appropriators_consider_e-gov_for_fy2012/
 * The Data Act of 2011: Rep. Issa Introduces Major Federal Spending Transparency Legislation (6/13/2011) http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/06/13/the-data-act-of-2011-rep-issa-introduces-major-federal-spending-transparency-legislation/
 * Save the Data 2012: the budget fight over transparency begins (6/13/2011) http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/06/13/save-the-data-2012-the-budget-fight-over-transparency-begins/
 * Kundra on e-gov cuts: no project unaffected (5/13/2011) http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/05/24/kundra-on-e-gov-cuts-no-project-unaffected/
 * Senator Carper Writes to Vivek Kundra About E-Gov Cut Implications (4/22/2011) http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/04/22/senator-carper-writes-to-vivek-kundra-about-e-gov-cut-implications/
 * The Way Forward to Save the Data (4/18/2011) http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/04/18/the-way-forward-to-save-the-data/
 * Public Cut out of Budget Negotiations (4/12/2011) http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/04/12/public-cut-out-of-budget-negotiations/
 * Major Cuts for Online Tech Transparency Progs (4/12/2011) http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/04/12/major-cuts-for-online-tech-transparency-progs/
 * Four Questions on the Budget Deal 4/9/2011) http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/04/09/questions-on-the-budget-deal/
 * Chairman Issa on Transparency Sites (4/14/2011) http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/04/14/chairman-issa-on-transparency-sites/
 * 3,000+ citizens call on Congress to Save the Data (4/6/2011)http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/04/06/3000-citizens-call-on-congress-to-save-the-data/
 * Have we saved the data? Maybe (4/5/2011) http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/04/05/have-we-saved-the-data-maybe/
 * Save the Data: Thousands Sign Open Letter (4/5/2011) http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/04/05/save-the-data-thousands-sign-open-letter/
 * Momentum Building to Avert Budget Technopocalypse (4/1/2011) http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/04/01/momentum-building-to-avert-budget-technopocalypse/
 * Budget Technopocalypse Deepens: Transparency Sites Will Go Dark In A Few Months (3/31/2011) http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/03/31/budget-technopocalypse-deepens-transparency-sites-will-go-dark-in-a-few-months/
 * Budget Technopocalypse: Proposed Congressional Budgets Slash Funding for Data Transparency (3/23/2011) http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/03/23/transparency-technopocalypse-proposed-congressional-budgets-slash-funding-for-data-transparency/

= Reports, Orders, Letters, and Statements =


 * GAO: Electronic Government: Performance Measures for Projects Aimed at Promoting Innovation and Transparency Can Be Improved (September 2011) http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d11775.pdf
 * Executive Order: Delivering an Efficient, Effective, and Accountable Government (6/13/2011) http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/06/13/executive-order-delivering-efficient-effective-and-accountable-governmen
 * Letter: Open Government Groups Urge Congress to Restore Funding for Transparency Efforts (6/13/2011) http://www.scribd.com/doc/57757779/House-E-Gov-Fund-Sign-On-letter
 * Statement: Senator Thomas Carper on Vivek Kundra's Letter on E-Gov Fund Cuts (May 24, 2011) http://carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=e6f388fa-3810-46e4-bc2d-5742a1edece9
 * Letter: Vivek Kundra writes to Sen. Thomas Carper about E-Gov Fund Cuts (May 24, 2011) http://carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=e6f388fa-3810-46e4-bc2d-5742a1edece9
 * Letter: Senator Thomas Carper writes to Federal CIO Vivek Kundra to ask his opinion on Proposed E-Gov Funding Cuts (April 21, 2011) http://www.scribd.com/full/53628833?access_key=key-97rve4j6s1vt34khofm
 * Hearing: Examining the President's Plan for Eliminating Wasteful Spending in Information Technology, Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security (April 12, 2011) http://hsgac.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&amp;Hearing_ID=8b4a7ea9-6522-48f7-8166-8bf0dbd5595d
 * Letter: Congress Must Protect Transparency Programs in Budget Negotiations (3/28/2011) http://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/51737235
 * Document: General Services Administration FY 2012 Congressional Justification (2/14/2011) http://www.gsa.gov/graphics/staffoffices/FY2012_CONGRESSIONAL_JUSTIFICATION.pdf
 * Document: White House Budget Request for FY 2012 http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/Overview/

= Laws, Legislation, and Committee Reports =


 * Senate Report: Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Bill, 2012 (September 15, 2011) http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CRPT-112srpt79/pdf/CRPT-112srpt79.pdf
 * House Report: Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Bill, 2012 (7/7/2011) http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CRPT-112hrpt136/pdf/CRPT-112hrpt136.pdf
 * House Bill: HR 2434 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2012 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.uscongress/legislation.112hr2434
 * Senate Bill: S. 1573 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2012 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.uscongress/legislation.112s1573
 * House Bill: Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2011 http://oversight.house.gov/images/stories/Legislation/Leg_Counsel_final_06_10_2011_ISSA_040_xml.pdf
 * Senate Bill: Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2011 S 1222 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.uscongress/legislation.112s1222
 * Bill: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Amendments, 2011, HR 1363 http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-h1363/text?version=ih&amp;nid=t0:ih:719
 * Bill: Full-Year Continuing Appropriation Act, 2011, H.R. 1 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.uscongress/legislation.112hr1
 * Bill: Senate Amendment 149 to Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011, See Division B, H.R. 1 http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?r112:S04MR1-0026:/


 * Law: E-Government Act of 2002 (section on the e-government fund) http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/usc_sec_44_00003604000-.html

= Projects and Campaigns =


 * ClearSpending http://sunlightfoundation.com/clearspending/
 * SaveTheData http://sunlightfoundation.com/savethedata/