Members of Congress and big-government advocates who believe bureaucrats know best just cannot tolerate private sector success. For example, the well-established and popular Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Free File program, which provides taxpayers that make under $64,000 annually with an option of 12 tax preparation companies to file their taxes at no cost, is under attack.
FedRAMP Gets a ReVAMP
The need to modernize federal information technology (IT) is being taken seriously by the Trump administration. One of the President’s early White House appointments was for Reed Cordish to become Assistant to the President for Intragovernmental and Technology Initiatives. He has also created the White House Office of Innovation, headed by Senior Advisor Jared Kushner, and has met with more than 100 business leaders and government officials to discuss issues related to technology.
Restoring State Authority for Lifeline
In another sign of better times for taxpayers and consumers at the Federal Communications Commission, Chairman Ajit Pai is taking steps to address jurisdictional problems created by his predecessor, Tom Wheeler, regarding the Lifeline program. Citizens Against Government Waste has long reported on problems with the program, which is supposed to provide low-income households with […]
The Sky Is Clearing, Not Falling, on Internet Privacy
The hysteria and hyperbole about online privacy needs to stop following House passage of S. J. Res. 34, which invoked the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to rescind the Federal Communications Commission’s Privacy Order. The legislation simply begins to restore the status quo for privacy rules that had been in place for decades prior to the […]
The Risky Business of Federal IT
Information technology (IT) has consistently been a top priority for Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) since it was founded in 1984 following the release of the Grace Commission report. The commission found that the federal government’s computer systems were outdated and incompatible, and much more needed to be done to upgrade and improve the efficiency of federal IT.
Time to Address FCC’s Privacy Order
There is a point where over-regulation can lead to uncertainty. Such is the case with the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Privacy Order. While the protection of individual privacy is important, the FCC’s Privacy Order, adopted on October 27, 2016, imposes a burdensome set of restrictions on providers and throws consumers a confusing set of options to decide how […]
Caution Needed When Building Digital Bridges
When one thinks about infrastructure, roads and bridges usually come to mind. These structures not only carry physical vehicles; they also provide the capacity to run wires above ground for telecommunications systems. These systems can also be built underground, and in the case of wireless broadband communications, ride over spectrum across the airwaves. Many new technologies therefore run across new bridges to bring information across the country. And when taxpayer dollars are involved, the “construction” of these services should proceed with caution.
At Age 21, Telecommunications Act Needs to Grow Up
On February 8, 2017, the Telecommunications Act of 1996 turns 21 years old. Some might say, “Oh, here is a law that has stood the test of time.” But they would be wrong. Enacted 12 years after the breakup of the Baby Bell companies, the Telecommunications Act of 1996 was written to promote competition in […]
House Passage of the Email Privacy Act
On February 6, 2017, increased privacy for emails took a step forward with the House passage of H.R. 387, the Email Privacy Act. This legislation provides a much-needed update to the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), and extends the legal requirements of warrants to email communications stored by cloud services providers. ECPA was enacted in […]
Modernizing Federal Information Technology
President Trump has made it clear that he wants to make significant changes in how government programs are managed. One of the best sources of the worst examples of wasteful spending for the president and his team is the Government Accountability Office (GAO) High Risk List, which every two years identifies agencies and program areas that are vulnerable to waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement. In GAO’s 2015 report, improving the management of information technology (IT) acquisitions and operations made the high risk list for the very first time. According to the report, “federal IT investments too frequently fail or incur cost overruns and schedule slippages while contributing little to mission-related outcomes.”