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December 17, 2002
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President George W. Bush signs H.R. 2458,
The E-Government Act of 2002, in the Roosevelt Room Dec.
17, 2002.
White House photo by Paul Morse |
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Today I have signed into law H.R. 2458,
the "E-Government Act of 2002." This legislation
builds upon my Administration's expanding E-Government initiative
by ensuring strong leadership of the information technology
activities of Federal agencies, a comprehensive framework for
information security standards and programs, and uniform safeguards
to protect the confidentiality of information provided by the
public for statistical purposes. The Act will also assist in
expanding the use of the Internet and computer resources in
order to deliver Government services, consistent with the reform
principles I outlined on July 10, 2002, for a citizen-centered,
results-oriented, and market-based Government.
Title II of this Act authorizes agencies
to award "share-in-savings" contracts under which
contractors share in the savings achieved by agencies through
the provision of technologies that improve or accelerate their
work. The executive branch shall ensure, consistent with applicable
law, that these contracts are operated according to sound
fiscal policy and limit authorized waivers for funding of
potential termination costs to appropriate circumstances,
so as to minimize the financial risk to the Government.
Title III of this Act is the Federal Information
Security Management Act of 2002. It is very similar to title
X of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, which also bears
the name Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002
and which I signed into law on November 25, 2002. I am signing
into law the E-Government Act after the enactment of the
Homeland Security Act, and there is no indication that the
Congress intended the E-Government Act to provide interim
provisions that would apply only until the Homeland Security
Act took effect. Thus, notwithstanding the delayed effective
dates applicable to the Homeland Security Act, the executive
branch will construe the E-Government Act as permanently
superseding the Homeland Security Act in those instances
where both Acts prescribe different amendments to the same
provisions of the United States Code.
Finally, the executive branch shall construe
and implement the Act in a manner consistent with the President's
constitutional authorities to supervise the unitary executive
branch and to protect sensitive national security, law enforcement,
and foreign relations information. In particular, consistent
with my constitutional authorities and section 301(c) of this
Act, the executive branch shall construe the Act in a manner
that preserves the authorities of the Secretary of Defense,
the Director of Central Intelligence, and other agency heads
with regard to the operation, control, and management of national
security systems.
– GEORGE W. BUSH
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