Sen. Carper Cheers Restoration of Funding for Government Transparency and Accountability

WASHINGTON – Today, Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee with oversight over Federal Information Technology, cheered the decision to restore $12.4 million in funding to the Electronic Government (E-Gov) Fund and re-establish the Fund as a separate entity. The E-Gov Fund pays for a number of important public websites and initiatives – such as USAspending.gov, Performance.gov, and the IT Dashboard – that have been credited with promoting transparency of government information, program performance, and federal spending. Sen. Carper worked with past Federal Chief Information Officer (CIO) Vivek Kundra, current Federal CIO Steven VanRoekel, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, and a number of government transparency groups to highlight the impact of cuts on the E-Gov Fund’s ability to continue its progress in making government more open and transparent, as well as harming efforts to cut wasteful and duplicative spending in the federal government.

“I’m very pleased that my House and Senate colleagues on the Appropriations Committees recognized the valuable role and importance of the Electronic Government Fund, or ‘E-Gov’ Fund. The American people demand an open, transparent, and fiscally-responsible federal government,” said Sen. Carper, chair of the Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security. “The E-Gov Fund, together with the Federal Citizen Services Fund, helps the federal government meet this demand. It helps the government communicate with citizens in smarter and more effective ways, and also helps agencies figure out ways to use technology better. It allows agencies to streamline their operations by cutting wasteful and duplicative spending throughout the federal government. This not only saves taxpayers’ money, it also results in a better level of service for the American people.

“The United States should lead the world in providing the most open, transparent and accessible government for its people,” continued Sen. Carper. “The E-Gov Fund provides a window for citizens to see how the federal government is working and spending their money. Today’s announcement ensures they’ll have a clear view for some time. My subcommittee will continue to monitor the work of the E-Gov Fund and to find the necessary resources for proven methods – like the E-Gov Fund — that make our government more transparent and cost-effective.”

Sen. Carper has pushed for initiatives that allow the federal government to harness the power of information technology to improve transparency, accountability and effectiveness. He was a cosponsor of the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) which created USEspending.gov, the lead author of the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) which created performance.gov, and a co-author of Information Technology Investment Management Act of 2011 which codifies the information technology dashboard.

###