Recommendation
Congress should establish an e-government modernization fund for federal, state, and local agencies.
Details
Too many government agencies at the federal, state, and local levels are using systems that are old, not citizen-friendly, and expensive to maintain—all of which makes engaging in telework or seamlessly delivering public services online more difficult. Government agencies often do not upgrade IT systems the same way many businesses do, making it more difficult for them to deliver services online or to enable work from home for their employees. Instead, they spend large shares of their budgets patching and maintaining systems that are long past their sell date. Congress should establish an e-government modernization fund for federal, state, and local agencies to upgrade their IT systems.
Keep reading:
▪ Robert D. Atkinson, et al., “Digital Policy for Physical Distancing: 28 Stimulus Proposals That Will Pay Long-Term Dividends” (ITIF, April 2020), https://itif.org/publications/2020/04/06/digital-policy-physical-distancing-28-stimulus-proposals-will-pay-long-term.