Minutes after being elected Ranking Member of a key House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee that is critical to Northern Virginia’s economy, Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA), reached out to the new subcommittee chairman with a detailed memo offering suggestions on policy issues where the two leaders can work together to find bipartisan solutions.

Connolly was elected Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Technology, Information Policy, Intergovernmental Relations, and Procurement Reform of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee (OGR) on Thursday.   Among other issue areas, the technology and procurement subcommittee has broad jurisdiction over federal technology and the overall technology industry.  It is particularly important to Northern Virginia, home of the second largest concentration of IT companies in the country. 

“I am honored that my colleagues on the OGR Committee selected me as the lead Democrat on this important subcommittee,” Connolly said.  “I look forward to serving side-by-side with the new Republican chairman to seek bi-partisan solutions to the challenges facing thousands of private-sector businesses involved in government procurement.”  Many of those businesses are located in Connolly’s congressional district and across Northern Virginia.

Rep. Elijah Cummings, Ranking Member of the OGR Committee, congratulated Connolly on his new position.  “Congressman Connolly is one of the more knowledgeable public servants we have in the House of Representatives,” said Cummings. “His experience working with Information Technology contractors in his district, who work hand-in-hand with the U.S. Government and our military, will be critical. His knowledge and expertise make him the perfect person to investigate and recommend comprehensive, responsible reforms for both IT and other aspects of intergovernmental relations and procurement. I am certain that he will work with our colleagues across the aisle to make our nation more efficient and effective, to better serve the American people.”

Shortly after being elected Ranking Member, Connolly sent a letter and memo to the new Subcommittee Chairman, James Lankford (R-OK), congratulating him and outlining potential hearings and key issue areas where the two can collaborate.  Among those issues are: federal procurement policies; in-sourcing; government efficiency and reducing waste; improving dialogue among federal, state, and local governments; and cyber security.  “I hope we can work together to provide responsible and effective oversight of the federal government,” Connolly said in his letter.

The Oversight and Government Reform Committee is the chief investigative committee of the House.  The subcommittee has broad jurisdiction over government contracting, information technology, relations between federal, state, and local governments, and federal data and public information policies.  Connolly served on the Government Management and Organization and Procurement Subcommittee in the previous Congress.

Memo
To:  Chairman James Lankford
From:  Ranking Member Gerry Connolly
Date:  1/20/2011
Re:  Subcommittee on Technology, Information Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and Procurement Reform

The work of this Subcommittee covers a broad spectrum of policy and legislation affecting the federal workforce and the American public on a daily basis – ensuring information security, striking the right balance between the public and private sector workforce, providing proper management and oversight of federal contracts, learning from and sharing best practices with state and local government partners, rooting out waste, and maintaining an open, accessible government for the public. The issue areas identified below are just some of the matters I hope to address with you as part of the Subcommittee work plan for the 112th Congress.

Cyber Security
The threat of cyber attack continues to plague both private and public computer systems, which come under attack thousands of times a day. The FBI estimates are that identity theft alone costs American businesses and consumers more than $50 billion a year. Any breach of government systems could compromise sensitive financial information or put personnel at risk, particularly active military and those involved in homeland security.

It is suggested the Subcommittee hold hearings and pursue legislation that would:
•Create performance rather than compliance based security standards
•Establish comprehensive, consistent minimum standards for protection of federal information systems
•Establish Chief Technology Officer in statute
•Establish a Federal Cyber Security Practice Board to monitor and develop information security procedures and disseminate best practices among agencies
•Require each federal agency to develop an agency-wide information security management program with performance based metrics

Federal Acquisition Policy and the In-sourcing Debate
During the past several decades, the federal government has cultivated a mutually-beneficial relationship with the private sector to perform certain government functions. Out-sourcing, in some cases, has proved to be more cost effective and efficient. At the same time, certain functions are inherently governmental and must be performed by the federal workforce. Striking the right balance between public and private workforce and providing the proper oversight and management for both is of paramount importance.

It is suggested the Subcommittee hold hearings and pursue legislation that would:
•Examine the impact of in-sourcing and poaching on contractors and whether “fully-loaded” cost comparisons are used when in-sourcing/out-sourcing decisions are made
•Review agencies’ successes and failures in meeting contracting set asides for SDVOSB, 8(a), HUBZone, Woman-owned small businesses, and other small businesses,
•Implement a parity requirement in the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act (P.L. 111-240)
•Investigate the proper role and recent practices of ANCs
•Consider requiring metrics for in-sourcing/cost reductions, including accurate accounting of cost for contracted employees and establishment of a consistent process to analyze in-sourcing so decisions are not arbitrary
•Develop legislation to establish a growth path for small business contractors

Cloud Computing
Cloud computing offers the federal government several potential benefits, including savings related to economies of scale, reduced capital investments, and fewer service disruptions due to resiliency of the cloud compared to a single server or data center.  While moving to the cloud may achieve economies of scale, it also offers an opportunity to enhance federal information security and in-house expertise for information management, if such contracts are structured properly.

It is suggested the Subcommittee hold hearings and pursue legislation that would:
•Consolidate 800 federal data centers and reduce federal data storage and processing costs by 2015, and reduce data storage and processing costs by 80% by 2020 (40% each of the next 5 years)
•Require agencies to use cloud computing rather than data centers unless the cost is higher
•Enable federal agencies to consolidate risk and authorization approvals for shift to cloud data storage and processing

Reducing Federal Waste and Energy Costs
Achieving greater efficiency in the federal government is a continuous challenge that must be met by everyone in the workforce from management to the frontlines. Savings and efficiencies can be achieved from both tangible items, such as reduced printing or personnel, and intangible actions, such as better management of contracts and federal properties and utilities.

It is suggested the Subcommittee hold hearings and pursue legislation that would:

•Consolidate commodity IT funding under CIOs of respective agencies
•Authorize DOD and DHS to establish Acquisition Academies (or expand and use the Veterans Affairs Acquisition Academy) to train and retrain contracting officers
•Review the Office of Personnel Management’s development of a pilot career track for IT program management (pilot in Treasury and USDA)
•Work with the Office of Federal Procurement Policy and CIO to determine the best legislative vehicle to develop a larger, more highly trained group of acquisition personnel across federal agencies, including through the expanded Acquisition Academy(ies)
•Reduce barriers to entry for small, innovative technology firms seeking to contract with the federal government, following passage of 6 reform provisions in the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010.
•Set goals for reduction of utility expenses from government facilities
•Reduce federal leasing expenditures, for office and parking real estate
•Reduce costs in paperwork and printing expenditures

Improving the relationship with state and local partners
From my experiences serving in local government, I know firsthand how actions taken here in Congress affect decisions made by governors, state legislators, county supervisors, city council members and school board members back home. It is our local and state governments that implement policies and standards for education, air quality, public safety, transportation, health care and so much more. Over the years, the need for coordination and transparency among the levels of government has not waned. In fact, it has only increased.

It is suggested the Subcommittee hold hearings and pursue legislation that would:
•Review unfunded mandates on both state and local governments
•Examine the responsibilities of state and local governments in implementing federal policies and laws
•Revisit the framework for a creating a regular forum for federal, state and local leaders to discuss such issues of importance

Proposed Hearing Schedule

The announced calendar for the House presents several opportunities for the Subcommittee to have an active hearing schedule during the first session of the 112th Congress. I am sure you have thoughts on the Subcommittee’s work plan, and I hope you will welcome the following hearing suggestions for your consideration. I look forward to working with you.
Cyber Security – The role of a Federal Cyber Security Practice Board in monitoring and developing information security procedures and disseminating best practices among agencies and requiring each federal agency to develop an agency-wide information security management program with performance based metrics

Contractor Set Asides – Examining agency success in meeting contracting set asides for SDVOSB, 8(a), HUBZone, Woman-owned small businesses, and other small businesses, and reviewing the proper role and recent practices of ANCs

Cloud Computing – Reviewing the potential savings from consolidating federal data centers and reducing federal data storage and processing costs

Improving the Acquisition Workforce – Review best practices to develop a larger, more highly-trained group of acquisition personnel across federal agencies, including through the expanded use of Acquisition Academies, which has been successfully implemented by Veterans Affairs

Intergovernmental Partnership --- Examine the responsibilities of state and local governments in implementing federal policies and laws, and review of unfunded mandates on state and local governments

Connolly to serve as top Democrat on tech panel
By Ben Pershing

Democrats may no longer have a majority in the House of Representatives, but Rep. Gerald Connolly has at least managed to snag a committee post that will be key to his Northern Virginia district.

Connolly, now in his second term representing portions of Fairfax and Prince William counties, has been named the top Democrat on the Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Technology, Information Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and Procurement Reform.

"I am honored that my colleagues on the OGR Committee selected me as the lead Democrat on this important subcommittee," Connolly said in a press release. "I look forward to serving side-by-side with the new Republican chairman to seek bi-partisan solutions to the challenges facing thousands of private-sector businesses involved in government procurement."

Officially, Connolly's subcommittee has "jurisdiction over public information, including Freedom of Information and Advisory Committees, federal information technology and data standards, procurement and grant reform, the relationship between the federal government and states and municipalities, including unfunded mandates. The subcommittee also has oversight jurisdiction over public broadcasting."

With a district abounding in government contractors and high-tech firms, the assignment makes sense. (Rep. Tom Davis (R), whom Connolly succeeded in the 11th district, previously served as chairman of the full Oversight panel.) The subcommittee's chairman will be Rep. James Lankford, a freshman Republican from Oklahoma, and Connolly sent Lankford a memo and letter Thursday proposing a full range of hearings on subjects such as cybersecurity and federal acquisition practices.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2011/01/connolly_to_serve_as_top_democ.html