High-Tech Highlighted in Bush Budget Request

Under Bush’s plan, the Homeland Security Dept. (DHS) would see its IT and security funding rise to $36.3 million in fiscal 2007, to support the IT Infrastructure Transformation Program (ITP), the agency announced. ITP integrates DHS’s 22 components’ IT elements into a unified system. The process would set up a common, reliable e-mail system, restructure help desks, reduce the number of agency data centers and standardize and modernize desktop workstations. It also would upgrade DHS voice, video and wireless infrastructure.

DHS also would benefit from $45.7 million for the Office of Intelligence & Analysis (I&A) and the Operations Directorate (OD), which include funding for the National Intelligence Program. DHS intelligence and information gathering and sharing capabilities are led by I&A. The OD distributes threat information, ensures operational coordination, spearheads incident management activities and translates intelligence and policy into action, DHS said. The agency would get $100 million for border technology to enhance electronic surveillance and response efforts, officials said. The funding would provide the procurement power to begin “an aggressive deployment plan” that started last year.

The Justice Dept. (DoJ) would get money to ramp up its information sharing. Bush wants to give DoJ $8.3 million for secure communications, including instituting a Public Key Infrastructure and DoJ-wide seamless IT infrastructure for electronically sharing, processing and storing classified information, officials said. The agency would beef up its online and on-the-ground efforts to fight crimes against children and obscenity. The department request included an $2.7 million for national-level efforts and $23.9 million for Office of Justice Programs aimed at state and local resources.

Managing IT is also a priority for DoJ. New spending on secure infrastructures and in the Justice Consolidated Office Network and Unified Financial Management System would improve communication and management strategies, the agency said. Bush’s budget request includes $133.9 million to enhance management and IT to support DoJ-wide strategic goals and the President’s Management Agenda.

Much of the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) budget favors innovation, under a new Competitiveness Initiative Bush announced last week in his State of the Union speech (WID Feb 2 p4). NSF’s 2007 budget begins a 10-year commitment to double funding for research aimed at breakthroughs in IT, nanotechnology and other fields. The budget request, which marks a rise of 7.9%, seeks to advance Bush’s goal of drawing the most promising U.S. students into graduate level science and engineering by funding 4,500-plus graduate fellowships.

The proposal would put $904 million into NSF’s Networking & IT Research & Development programs -- up 11.5% from 2006. This would support research in information, computer and communications sciences and lay groundwork for next-generation technologies. Computing and advanced networking tools, as the nation’s cyberinfrastructure also is known, are key to advancing knowledge, the Administration said. The budget includes $600 million for NSF outlays in those areas. Govt.-wide, Bush’s competitiveness effort would commit $5.9 billion in 2007 and more than $136 billion over a decade.

The Commerce Dept. (DoC) would benefit from Bush’s competitiveness initiative. The National Institute for Standards & Technology would target $535 million in 2007 to promote innovation and help American firms keep pace with global competitors. Intellectual Property (IP) enforcement is an important element at DoC. The President’s budget would underwrite efforts against IP crime and bolster enforcement. IP anti-piracy work via the Patent & Trademark Office and International Trade Administration would continue in 2007.

The Veterans Administration (VA) and Defense Dept. (DoD) would get funds to expand joint projects associated with 2- way transfer of medical records in 2007. Bush’s budget includes $457 million to continue work being done under the dictates of a 2004 Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) report to modernize VA health care. The proposal brings total department spending to date to almost $3 billion. Similar outlays for high-tech health systems would be funded at the Health & Human Services Dept. Bush’s mission to make e-health records available for all Americans would get a $169 million push, including $116 million for the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT; $50 million for the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality; and $3 million for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning & Evaluation.