Victor Fazio: “Mr. Chairman, the committee report says that $211 million is provided in this bill for computer and telecommunications…”

“Mr. Chairman, the committee report says that $211 million is provided in this bill for computer and telecommunications investments and that there is quote, ``an inexorable movement toward CyberCongress.'' But, quite simply, we are not yet there. My amendment would be a referendum on whether the CAO and HIR are giving us what we pay for. We have provided generous resources to the Chief Administrative Officer and to our computer agency over the past 2 years, $16.5 million in this bill for operating expenses, $8.2 million for telecommunications projects, a doubling over last year. That does not count the $6 million in reimbursements and the $11.7 million in chargebacks that our offices pay for services to the HIR agency. With Chairman Packard, I approved a $20.5 million reprogramming at the end of the fiscal year 1995 for telecommunications and computer investments. The CAO and HIR have requested $85 million over the next 5 years for computer and telecommunications investment. But, notwithstanding the New York Times, which wrote a glowing piece on the CAO, there is evidence that our computer support is falling short.”