Mace Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Modernize Federal IT Systems

WASHINGTON—Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation Chairwoman Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) today reintroduced the Modernizing Government Technology (MGT) Reform Act (H.R. 2985). This bipartisan bill reauthorizes and reforms the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) and its governing board, the Technology Modernization Board (TMB). It includes several measures to improve the administration of the TMF and ensure program operations adhere to original congressional intent. It also establishes a Federal Legacy IT Inventory, a new oversight tool that will allow Congress to ensure the federal government is addressing the problem of legacy IT and to assess how well the TMF does in funding related projects. 

“The federal government spends billions on outdated, obsolete legacy IT systems — a total nightmare for taxpayers. These antiquated systems are inefficient, prevent agency mission delivery, and create cybersecurity risks within the federal government. Our bipartisan bill institutes much needed reforms to increase transparency and ensure a pathway to modernize, replace, or retire federal legacy IT systems. As this Administration works tirelessly to make our government more efficient and effective for the American people, Congress must do its part to provide more tools to accomplish this mission,” said Subcommittee Chairwoman Nancy Mace. 

Representative Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, is an original cosponsor of the bill.

The TMF was established to create a novel, revolving fund mechanism to address federal legacy IT modernization. Prior to the creation of the TMF, the annual appropriations cycle made it difficult for agencies to plan and implement upgrades to legacy IT systems. The TMF needs to be reauthorized and reformed to ensure it is a sustainable and solvent tool for addressing federal legacy IT modernization.

Read bill text here.