Congress isn’t in session this week or next, there are still some key items happening... and I don’t mean the cherry blossoms or NHL playoff hockey. Here’s the latest...
Key Takeaway: DATA Act Passes Senate; House Passage Likely
After striking an agreement with the House, the Senate passed the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act (DATA Act, S 994) on Thursday. The bill is intended to create more transparency in federal spending, will create government-wide data standards for money spent by agencies or grant recipients in a “machine-readable and open” format.
From a state perspective, the key takeaway is the launch of a pilot project that will aim to simplify reporting requirements, as well as consolidate and automate portions of the federal financial reporting process, with an eye towards reducing the costs to recipients of Federal awards. The pilot will be launched within a year, and last two years. Following the pilot, OMB will report to Congress on the findings of the pilot program and provide recommendations for further legislative action, as necessary.
NASCIO and allies previously had concerns regarding the DATA Act (see our letter and testimony), as previous versions proposed significant new reporting burdens on states without any additional funding. Those concerns have dissipated due to changes in the legislation. In November, I discussed the House version’s passage. Leadership in the House has indicated it will pass the Senate’s version when it returns from recess at the end of April. With the President expected to sign the legislation into law, the DATA Act appears to be a “done deal.”
Other Buzz: FirstNet General Manager Resigns
On Monday, the FirstNet Authority announced its General Manager Bill D’Agostino had resigned “for personal and family reasons.” The first permanent hire by the Board, D’Agostino had been in the GM role for less than one year. Deputy GM TJ Kennedy will assume the role of Acting General Manager until the role is filled. FirstNet said in a press release they were launching a nationwide search for a new GM, and a job notice would soon be posted to USAjobs.gov.
The departure of D’Agostino appears to be a setback after a strong first quarter in which FirstNet announced its planned organization and strategic roadmap for state engagement and development of a business plan.
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