First Topic Listing
Previous Topic Listing
(Links to resources will open in a new window)
This report documents the progress that the National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program (NDIIPP) has made from the initial planning phase. It provides a plan for preserving digital information of national significance; reports on the planning approach and lessons learned from a variety of activities; and proposes the next actions to begin the practical applications and modeling approaches to implementation of NDIIPP.
The purpose of the Science, Technology and Law Program of the NRC is to examine ways in which science is used in the courtroom and the impact that legislation has on the work of scientists and engineers. Ms. Mazza provided some background information on the OMB’s charge to develop data quality guidelines for information disseminated by the Federal Government to the June 2002 CENDI meeting. She detailed some of the National Academy of Science’s and other scientific organizations’ concerns about the implementation of these guidelines in the various agencies. A series of workshops were held in 2001 and 2002 to discuss the effect of the "Shelby" Amendment on public access to research data. The National Academy of Sciences and other scientific organizations participated in the workshops. Ms. Mazza ends by briefly listing some of the key questions that remain after the workshops. These include the impact of data collected before October 2002; the impact on the work of grantees both intramural and extramural; and agency resources needed to respond to requests.
At the June 2002 CENDI meeting, Mr. Landy summarized some of the major changes in Senate's version of the E-Government Bill from 2001 to 2002. Some of the major changes involved the removal of the Federal CIO position; the introduction of perfomance measures; the setting up of an interagency committee to allow OMB to set guidelines; and consolidating government information.
At the June 2002 CENDI meeting, Mr. McConnell provided an overview of IT and information policy bills and then focused specifically on Senate Bill 803 which he says focuses on management and does not change or set policies. He indicated that the OMB's A-130 Section 8A is about the same as S. 803 in that it requires more action and oversight by OMB. Mr. McConnell pointed out that S.803 continues the non-integrated approach to information policy and that the Bill needs improvement. He concluded that the focus of the E-Government Act has been too much on technologies rather than missions.
At the April 2002 CENDI meeting, Dr. Neuman gave an overview of the new structure at the Office for Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). The two advisory committees at OSTP IT are the President's Information Technology Advisory Committee (PITAC) and the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). PCAST an industry advisory committee has created four working groups: Counterterrorism, S&T Budget, Energy Efficiency and Economy, and 21st Century Infrastructure. The new PCAST will spend the majority of its time deliberating and making concise recommendations in bullet form with well-developed rationales. Homeland security is a current issue of concern to OSTP and understands the need for the dissemination of legitimate scientific information and national security concerns. OSTP has held discussions with DoD and NTIS regarding document classification/declassification and noted that content and control of dissemination differs by agency. OSTP has been specifically asked to address data sharing and new techniques for data mining. In closing Dr. Neuman mentioned the Information and Technology Budget CrossCut and iterated the five themes of the President's 2002 budget: simplify and integrate across the government and reduce duplication; improve management; increase the security of government information systems; eliminate redundant and unneeded IT; and establish successful e-business practices, including best practices from the private sector.
At the CENDI meeting on April 15, 2003 at USGS, Mr. Haycock explained that the Federal Enterprise Architecture (FEA) is a strategy to ensure that the President's Management Agenda is achieved to make the government more responsive and efficient. The five initiatives in the President's Agenda are the management of human capital, competitive sourcing, facilitating the delivery of effective e-government services, improved financial performance, and budget and performance integration. FEA is made up of five reference models: business, performance, service, data, and technical. The goal of FEA is to identify common functions, to share data and resources in the same business line across agencies, and to simplify citizen access.
An analysis of the current federal F&D budget is presented, including the defense and non-defense R&D. Trends are analyzed, including estimates for FY00 based on reviews of the Administration's budget and those anticipated from Congress.
Offers industry perspective on program planning and implementation of Next Generation Internet R&D. Critiques the federal R&D programs that support the development of the Next Generation Internet. Offers recommendations and research areas that should be pursued.
This site links to segments of Web pages for twenty-five information related private and not-for-profit organizations. The links connect to documents on information issues, standards, and policy both within and external to the organization. A final section links to Web sites on U.S. laws and statutes related to information issues.
This "index" page links to individual issues of the quarterly newsletter that provide coverage of scientific and technical electronic information, Internet, the Web, and related issues such as policy and standards, Web site development guidelines, and topical resources with S&T information content.
GODORT is a forum for librarians concerned with access to and management of local, state and federal documents. The Governments Documents Round Table (GODORT) represents librarians from all types of libraries. A boolean search interface provides access to this extensive Web site covering state, national and international government documents policy, legislation, communication, associations and related events
The Government Information Quarterly is a cross-disciplinary, refereed journal that provides a forum for theoretical and philosophical analyses, the presentation of research findings and their practical applications, and a discussion of current policies and practices, as well as new developments at all levels of government. The journal presents valuable resource material to government officials and policy makers, journalists, lawyers, researchers, teachers and scholars, students, librarians, or anyone interested in the role of government information in society.
The Journal of Government Information provides a forum for the publication of scholarship on government policy, current practice, new developments, and history of the distribution, processing, and use of information at all levels of government.
NCLIS is a permanent, independent agency of the federal government that advises the executive and legislative branches on national library and information policies and plans. Reports of studies, surveys and analyses of the nation's library and information needs are linked to the site in PDF format. Virtual Library Collections on "Libraries, Nationally" and "Libraries, Internationally" are included.
The site links to nine Senate and ten House committees and the Federal site THOMAS for legislative information. Contact information and summaries of committee coverage are provided under each committee name, which is also a link to more detailed information on the committee. Committees are included that either fund or authorize activities of the Federal departments of agriculture, commerce, defense, energy, health, interior, justice, State, transportation; the EPA, NASA, and NSF; and international affairs of science or intellectual property. The Guide is a tool that both informs on current issues and activities on S&T and lists contact information on who to keep informed of S&T issues.
The paper on views and key issues to be addressed in a new science policy was prepared for the House Science Committee's National Science Policy Study. The paper briefly describes five issues or areas that warrant special attention; partnership between federal government and research and educational institutions, raising scientific and technology literacy of all citizens, plan for rapid advances in science and technology, managing the international character of science and technology, and facilitating collaboration between discipline, institutions and sectors. This paper generally documents the views and priorities of the science and technology disciplines regarding federal science policy.
Detailed minutes of the hearing on Y2K provides an extensive history of federal actions and legislation as the basis for establishing current policy, priorities, and solutions.
This report was prepared for the U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science and the U.S. Government Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents to assess the status of electronic publishing among U.S. government agencies and the formats in which this publishing is being done. This is the result of interviews and surveys with over 120 agencies, offices, programs, and experts. This report is part of a project to ensure transition to a more electronic Federal Depository Library Program. Key findings are in the area of policy and planning, permanent public access, authenticity issues, and product characteristics (including the most common formats).
This web site provides access to the recent report, "Falling Through the NetI II: Defining the Digital Divide" which details the increasing differences between the cyberspace "haves" and the "have nots". Access is also provided to previous reports in this series: Falling Through the Net: A Survey of the 'Have Nots' in Rural and Urban America, July 1995 and "Falling Through the Net II: New Data on the Digital Divide," July 1998. A series of fact sheets regarding Internet access and technology availability for different segments of the population are provided.
This report was requested by House Speaker Newt Gingrich from the House Committee on Science, chaired by F. James, Sensenbrenner, Jr. It outlines the history of U.S. science policy, beginning with Vannevar Bush's Science: The Endless Frontier. It reconfirms the importance of basic scientific research to the security, health and economic well-being. It adds the new role of informed decision making. It calls for increased basic research, confirms the role of the federal government in funding basic research and calls for increased interdisciplinary partnerships. Education is also emphasized.
Minutes from a presentation by Peter Weiss, OMB at the CENDI Meeting, February 1999. Mr. Weiss discussed the priorities within OMB/OIRA, including the Government Paperwork Elimination Act, the Treasury Postal Act that allows the FOIA of grant data, H.R. 354, the Database Protection legislation, and printing reform (Title 44).
An overview of the federal information technology context was presented, along with the discussions that led up to the vision of the Digital Government. The program's goals, current status and plans are described. The connection of the initiative with other groups such as the Federal Web Consortium and the Government Information Technology Services Board, and activities such as the Information Technology Management Reform Act (ITMRA) are described.
The Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) was enacted in 1993 to focus attention on performance and results of government activities. This study reports on workshops was held to gather input from research agencies concerning the challenges presented by GPRA. It concludes that useful outcomes of basic research cannot always be measured directly on an annual basis. Historical reviews are necessary. However, this does not mean that there are no meaningful ways of performance measurement. There are meaningful measures that can be used to predict the success of basic research. Applied research is much more easily reported. The report also includes recommendations on how to evaluate federal research programs, how to coordinate among federal programs, and relevant human resource issues.
The global economy requires the sharing of information, even sensitive information, with appropriate parties, across national boundaries. However, it is important for competitiveness and national security that this information be protected from vandalism or interception. This report discusses the role that cryptography has played in security information to date. It also discusses the law enforcement and national security dilemmas that are posed by cryptography. The committee recommends that national policy should be changed to support the broad use of cryptography in ways that take into account security as well as privacy, economic competitiveness and other competing interests. A framework for a new national cryptography policy is outlined.
Dr. Kahin is involved in areas of competition and private sector/government interaction. Under these board issues, he is addressing issues of domain names and network numbers, metadata (labeling) for Internet sites, and copyright and intellectual property (database protection and digital copyright). These areas of interest are briefly discussed.
OIRA attention is focused on legislative priorities, policy-related issues, and technology. Legislative priorities include government printing (Title 44) and privacy. Policy-related issues included Electronic FOIA (Freedom of Information Act), WWW policy, and the Morella Act (voluntary consensus standards to be used in purchasing and in regulations). Technology areas include the Information Technology Management Reform Act (ITMRA), the Raines Rules (eight criteria that should be met by any information systems investment), Y2K, Government Wide Agency Contracts, and the newly established CIO Council. Each of these is briefly described.
The structure of the CCIC is described. There are five areas where R&D programs are funded under the CCIC. The Applications council is seeking to move R&D out to non-R&D environments. It is a technology transfer organization. The Council has two applications groups, the Federal Information Services Group and the Next Generation Internet. Specific programs such as the Next Generation Internet are described briefly.
Dr. Nelson identified four major issues and policy areas in which he is working. Vision includes the education of the public to new technologies and their benefits. Research and Technology includes making technologies more reliable, more robust and more usable. In the area of Information Policy, the major efforts include intellectual property and copyright in the digital environment and telecommunications. In the area of security, the Critical Infrastructure Protection Commission was recently established. Additional discussion between Dr. Nelson and the CENDI members included a discussion of information life cycle management and preservation and archiving. Changing scientific communication practices, the CIO Council, electronic Freedom of Information Act compliance, and intellectual property and copyright.
This web site provides access to information regarding the R&D budget for the current fiscal year; a guide to R&D funding data with links to numerous charts, graphs and trend analyses; recent publications by the R&D Budget and Policy program; state and regional science funding report; science and technology policy news; and other useful links.
Proceedings from a briefing hosted by AAAS and Federal Focus, Inc. on the amendment to the Office of Management and Budget's Circular A-110 (Freedom of Information Act) which requires public availability of data produced under an award by the government. The program for the workshop is presented with links to the texts of the presentations. A copy of the letters to OMB and to Congress are also available.
Monthly online newsletter covering science and technology related activities in Congress.
In response to a request from several federal science agencies, the NRC undertook a study to review the issues surrounding private rights and public access and interest to scientific and technical databases. The group reviewed the creation, production and dissemination of these databases from the government, commercial and not-for-profit sectors. A variety of examples within the sciences were reviewed. The report takes a specific look at the pending Database Protection legislation at that time, and the European Database Directive with these issues in mind.
This is the official web site of the Federal Government's Chief Information Officers (CIO) Council. The CIO Council is responsible for directing and leading the strategic management of Federal IT resources and serves as a focal point for meeting government-wide IT challenges.
This report from the National Academies provides insights into some of the challenges in preparing the nation for bioterrorism readiness by describing the role of science and engineering in making the nation safer. The report identifies key systems and technologies, e.g., information technology and telecommunications, nuclear weapons, energy systems, transportation systems, that need to be addressed, The report is divided into nine chapters that contain broad recommendations to make the nation safer from terrorism.
Minutes from a presentation by Robert Willard, National Commission on Library and Information Science (NCLIS) at the CENDI meeting October 3, 2000. Mr. Willard summarized the developments leading up NCLIS' analysis of the possible closure of the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) and the current activities which are underway. All information concerning this topic has been posted to NCLIS's web site. Four panels were created to invesitgate the NTIS situation from various perspectives and to examine short and long-term alternatives.
Minutes from a presentation by Kay Howell, CICC at the CENDI meeting on June 1, 1999. Ms. Howell describes several federal organizations and initiatives with responsibilities in IT including the High Performance Computing and Communications (HPCC) initiataive, the National Coordination Office (NCO) for Computing, Information and Communications, the Next Generation Internet (NGI) initiative, the President's Information Technology Advisory Committee (PITAC), and the Information Technology for the 21st Century (IT2) initiative. She also explained the interrelationships and the status of each of these efforts.
This is the executive summary for a larger report on public information dissemination conducted by the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science. The report concisely summarizes the findings and provides a lengthy list of strategic and other recommendations to improve the condition of government information dissemination in the United States.
Senators John McCain and Joseph Lieberman requested this study be made because of the complexities of providing information using emerging electronic technologies. In the report, NCLIS calls for the recognition of government information as a national resource that should be planned and managed accordingly. The findings and recommendations by NCLIS are meant to serve as a strategic plan for reform in the the way government creates, stores and disseminates information. This comprehensive study undertaken by NCLIS was begun in June 2000 consists of 4 volumes. Volume 2 was recently released in March 2001.
This Brief discusses the history and need for a national policy on technology development. Technology development contributes over one-half the growth of the U.S. economy and is the main force in long-term growth and increases in living standards. The Clinton-Gore Administration's policy on technology development included direct and indirect government support for private sector activities in research, development, and commercialization of technology. The brief also covers current legislative initiatives and programs and gives an in-depth look at the Congress's attempts to deal with a national policy on technology development.
This study which was prepared for the Intergovernmental Enterprise Panel explains the barriers to interoperability in government. The term interoperability is defined as the ability to share information easily among governmental and private sector organizations The authors point out that barriers to interoperability fall into four broad categories: political, organizational, economic, and technical. Practical recommendations are made to improve and achieve the goal of interoperability in government systems. The authors point out that the sharing of information needs to be based on the "life cycle" model which addresses both the management of technology and of information. Some of the recommendations include: making information inventories; advertising the fact that interoperability means savings in time, money, and improved effectiveness; assembling a clearinghouse to accumulate GILS experiences and best practices; providing a formal means by which states can provide input in the federal information strategic planning process. Throughout the report the emphasis is on the need to develop a systematic and integrated policy architecture to address the barriers to sharing information. In conclusion the authors' findings indicate that the federal government needs to: develop standards with input from local and state governments; develop a collection of best practices so that all sectors can benefit; coordinate its own information management before mandating states to do so; and require that metadata be collected so that potential opportunities for interoperability can more easily be identified. See also the appendix for more information on both reports at http://ppm.ohio-state.edu/ppm/~landsbergen/papers/Appendix.pdf
This report prepared for the Intergovernmental Enterprise Panel is the first part of the interoperable government systems report. This phase of the study focuses on the barriers to interoperability. These have been categorized as follows: (1) political (includes issues of privacy, ambiguities in statutory authority, openness to public scrutiny); (2) organizational (issues of trust, lack of experience and awareness of opportunities to share); (3) economic (issues of lack of resources, procurement methods); and (4) technical (issues of software/hardware compatibility, and data sharing standards). The authors reviewed all previous research concerning this topic and developed a tool to determine whether the existing policy architecture performed all of the generic functions necessary to any policy process. Extensive interviews were conducted and three case studies were chosen to study the most important aspects of interoperability. Some of the findings include: (1) the need to perceive interoperability as sharing of information; (2) the failure of many interoperability projects to share metadata or be unaware of existence; (3) lack of time and budget are prohibitive to effectuate the sharing of information; (4) many agencies specify how data is to be shared; (5) policy makers and managers do not always have the expertise to develop strong interoperable systems. The authors concluded that there were no major policy barriers to interoperability at the federal level but that there was a lack of mechanisms to support interoperability.
This paper defines "The Next Generation Internet" (NGI) as a generic phrase used to describe the Internet of the future which includes the middleware, and the applications software. The new Internet will be faster, more reliable, and everywhere because of the wireless and satellite communication technologies. NGI will be more intelligent and use more collaborative technologies for communications. NGI applications will be seamless and easier to use and will be more trusted. The principal challenges to NGI are personal privacy, reliability, and authentication. Solutions to these challenges are being developed and include a new Internet protocol (IPv6), a new standard for Internet Security (IPsec), a new privacy protection platform (P3P), a public key infrastructure (PKI), and a new wireless standard (The 3G) Third Generation. However, technology alone will not be sufficient. New government policies and/or changes in old policies will also be required to foster the growth and development of the NGI.
The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) was mandated by PL103-40 in 1993 to create and maintain online access to appropriate publications distributed by the Superintendent of Documents. This mandate has proven to be a challenge in the digital age. Over the past few years GPO has been transitioning to an electronic dissemination program. This transition is being felt across the entire Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP). The FDLP was created to assure current and permanent public access to information published by the U.S. Government regardless of form or format. The FDLP now serves four functions: depository of publications, assurance of current and permanent public access, provision of locator tools, and promotion and facilitation of use. The deposit and access functions have been most affected by the transition to electronic publications. These two functions have been reinvented with the creation of a digital FDLP based on traditional library collection development principles, an interdependent set of locator tools, user interfaces, links to content on agency servers, a digital archive, and various kinds of metadata. Assuring the official integrity of the information and keeping that information available and permanently accessible have been the two greatest challenges in charting the digital future of the FDLP. The electronic transition that began in the mid-90’s has been guided by three factors: the overall trend in Government to adopt electronic media for communicating with the public; the rapid adoption of electronic media in libraries generally; and the clear direction of the Congress to implement greater electronic access and to seek reductions in the cost of disseminating information. Although the FDLP’s depository and access functions have been impacted significantly with the electronic transitioning of GPO products, it continues to play a vital role in assuring public access to government information.
Minutes from a presentation at the CENDI meeting at the Defense Technical Information Center, Ft. Belvoir, VA on February 8, 2001. Mr. McLoughlin identified several Internet issues that will be of interest to the 107th Congress including Internet tax, privacy and security, the Internet infrastructure, and Internet access and deployment. Mr. Seifert discussed several technology issues facing the new Congress. These issues include the establishment of a federal CIO; how to implement e-government initiatives, yet still have accountability and efficiency; and how to recruit and maintain the IT workforce in government. He also noted that there is a lack of agreement as to what constitutes e-government.
Minutes from a presentation at the CENDI meeting at the Defense Technical Information Center, Ft. Belvoir, VA on February 8, 2001. OMB A-130 is up for review with a particular focus on Section 8(a) on information dissemination and information resources management (IRM).
This report summarizes the E-Government Act of 2001 from the point of view of OMB Watch. Senator Lieberman presented the 90-page bill to the U.S. Senate on May 1, 2001. This comprehensive bill on e-government focuses on the government's management of information content for access and accountability. One of the key components of the E-Government Act of 2001 is the establishment of a Federal CIO who would implement information policies, provide leadership for several inter-organizational councils or forums, establish standards and protocols for IT interoperability in consultation with agency CIO's and NIST, establish government-wide computer security policies, assist in ensuring the effective implementation of electronic procurement initiatives, and administer a central fund for interagency projects and innovative IT initiatives. The bill would also clearly establish by statute the authority and responsibilities of the CIO Council. Other key facets of this bill include the development of common protocols for geospatial information systems; the creation of a centralized online portal and directory of Federal Websites; the promotion of digital preservation, accessibility, and electronic signature standards; the creation of an online, national library; and the creation of a Federal Information Technology Training Center. Senate hearings were to begin in July 2001.
This report provides insights into some of the challenges in preparing the nation for bioterrorism readiness by describing the role of science and engineering in making the nation safer. The report identifies key systems and techologies, e.g., information technology and telecommunications, nuclear weapons, energy systems, and transportation systems that need to be addressed. The report is divided into nine chapters that contain broad recommendations to make the nation safer from terrorism.
This 65-page document is the result of extensive collaboration between the U.S. federal government, security experts, and industry leaders. It is meant to be a model for the nation in adopting secure network protocols. These include establishing points-of-contact, establishing an information sharing and analysis center, empowering CIO's to address cybersecurity, creating model user awareness programs, and establishing best practices. The document describes existing problems and proposed actions by the public and private sectors. Some of the more specific areas addressed include home and small business users, enterprises, government, higher education, and global activities. The plan is meant to be voluntary. Hhowever, if this strategy fails, the government could turn to regulations.
The author has created a table that summarizes how library records are affected by the Patriot Act. The table includes court orders, the type of information that can be demanded, the legal standard for invoking the Act, the legal authority, and notes and sample orders. A separate table for getting library records through non-court orders is also provided. The author also points out that the Patriot Act amends over 15 Federal Statutes and lists some of these statutes.
The NDIIPP was begun as a collaborative effort by the U.S. Congress and the Library of Congress in 2000 provides news about the development of digital preservation policies, standards and technologies. Reports, presentations, meeting reports, commissioned studies, digital television, e-journals and other resources on digital preservation are available on the website.
This web site, sponsored by the Defense Information Systems Agency, serves as a clearinghouse for information assurance (IA) information. Some information is restricted to *.mil and *.go users, however the public can access the policy and guidance sections which includes executive orders, national directives, standards and policies. The site also has a public key infrastructure (PKI) section that contains links to policy documents, other web site links (some sections in this area are not publicly available). Also of interest is the site's "What's New" section, most of which is publicly available.
The IATAC is hosted by Booz Allen Hamilton and is a U.S. Department of Defense Information Analysis Center (IAC) sponsored by the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC). The IATAC serves as the Department of Defense's central access point for information on Information Assurance emerging technologies in system vulnerabilities, research and development, models and analysis to support the development and implementation of effective defense against information warfare attacks. The site provides access to reports on vulnerability analysis, intrusion detection, review of products, and related information. Newly added information can easily be found by checking the "What's New" page. The site provides a recommended reading list, a list of their upcoming conference and training programs, and access to their newsletter.
This Memorandum provides direction to Federal agencies on implementing Title III ( the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISA)) of the Electronic Government Act which was signed into law on December 17, 2002. The guidance consists of four attachments: Attachment A - Transition from Government Information Security Reform Act to Federal Information Security Management Act; Attachment B - Reporting on Federal Government Information Security Management. This attachment consists of two parts, the first of which provides reporting instructions and the report format and the second part provides a series of questions and answers to further assist agencies in meeting the reporting requirements. Attachment C consists of three parts, part one of which provides guidance and requirements on POA&Ms and the POA&M process, submital requirements, and guidance on reporting on performance measures. Part two of this attachment provides examples of program and system-level POA&Ms and part three provides a series of questions and answers to further assist agencies in developing, implementing, and reporting on POA&Ms. Attachment D provides definitions in law and policy that are referenced in the guidance.
This report outlines the governments efforts to establish protections on non-classified information that chould potentially be a security risk.
First Topic Listing |
Previous Topic Listing |