I 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1261 

To establish an Office of the Federal Chief Technology Officer in the executive 

office of the President, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 30, 2011 

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia (for himself, Mr. MORAN, and Mrs. MALONEY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 

A BILL 

To establish an Office of the Federal Chief Technology Officer in the executive office of the President, and for 

other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Chief Technology Offi5 cer Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. OFFICE OF THE CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER. 

7 (a) ESTABLISHMENT AND STAFF.— 

8 (1) ESTABLISHMENT.— 

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1 (A) IN GENERAL.—There is established in 

2 the Executive Office of the President an Office 

3 of the Federal Chief Technology Officer (in this 

4 Act referred to as the ‘‘Office’’). 

5 (B) HEAD OF THE OFFICE.— 

6 (i) FEDERAL CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OF7 FICER.—The President shall appoint a 

8 Federal Chief Technology Officer (in this 

9 Act referred to as the ‘‘Federal CTO’’) 

10 who shall be the head of the Office. 

11 (ii) COMPENSATION.—Section 5313 of 

12 title 5, United States Code, is amended by 

13 adding at the end the following: 

14 ‘‘Federal Chief Technology Officer.’’. 

15 (2) STAFF OF THE OFFICE.—The President 

16 may appoint additional staff members to the Office. 

17 (b) DUTIES OF THE OFFICE.—The functions of the 

18 Federal CTO are the following: 

19 (1) Undertake fact-gathering, analysis, and as20 sessment of the Federal Government’s information 

21 technology infrastructures, information technology 

22 strategy, and use of information technology, and 

23 provide advice on such matters to the President, 

24 heads of Federal departments and agencies, and 

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1 government chief information officers and chief tech2 nology officers. 

3 (2) Work to ensure the security and privacy of 

4 the Federal information technology infrastructure 

5 and networks, coordinating closely with other Fed6 eral departments and agencies having responsibilities 

7 regarding security and privacy of the infrastructure 

8 and networks. 

9 (3) Lead an interagency effort, working with 

10 the chief technology and chief information officers of 

11 each of the Federal departments and agencies, to de12 velop and implement a planning process to ensure 

13 that they use best-in-class technologies, share best 

14 practices, and improve the use of technology in sup15 port of Federal Government requirements. 

16 (4) Provide, within the Executive Office of the 

17 President, advice on the engineering, technical and 

18 implementation aspects of information technology 

19 and information technology infrastructure issues 

20 that require attention at the highest levels of govern21 ment. 

22 (5) Evaluate the scale, quality, and effective23 ness of the Federal effort in the use of information 

24 technology, and advise on appropriate actions. 

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1 (6) Advise the President on information tech2 nology considerations with regard to Federal budg3 ets. 

4 (7) Assist the President in providing general 

5 leadership and coordination of the research and de6 velopment programs of the Federal Government for 

7 information technology-related matters. 

8 (8) Promote technological innovation in the 

9 Federal Government, and encourage and oversee the 

10 adoption of robust cross-governmental architectures 

11 and standards-based information technologies, in 

12 support of effective operational and management 

13 policies, practices, and services across Federal de14 partments and agencies and with the public and ex15 ternal entities. 

16 (9) Establish cooperative public-private sector 

17 partnership initiatives to gain knowledge of tech18 nologies available in the marketplace that can be 

19 used to improve governmental operations, citizen 

20 services, and the safety, security, and privacy of in21 formation collected, maintained, processed, and com22 municated by the Federal Government. 

23 (10) Establish public-private sector partnership 

24 initiatives to gain knowledge of information tech25 nology research activities underway and planned by 

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1 Federal departments and agencies and in the private 

2 sector that can improve the use of information tech3 nologies by the Federal Government. 

4 (11) Sponsor, initiate, and support research 

5 and demonstration projects in partnership with pri6 vate sector industry and academic institutions to le7 verage private sector expertise and innovation in 

8 order to enhance existing technologies or identify 

9 breakthrough innovations that can improve the Fed10 eral Government’s use of technology. 

11 (12) Lead an interagency effort, working with 

12 the chief technology and chief information officers of 

13 each of the Federal departments and agencies, to 

14 promote the use of best-in-class technologies, share 

15 best practices, and establish an information tech16 nology plan for the Federal Government that im17 proves the effectiveness, efficiency, security, and pri18 vacy of the Federal Government’s information infra19 structure and information technology-based services. 

20 (13) Any other functions and activities that the 

21 President may assign to the Federal CTO. 

22 (c) POLICY PLANNING; ANALYSIS AND ADVICE.—The 

23 Office shall serve as a source of analysis and advice for 

24 the President and heads of Federal departments and agen25 cies with respect to major policies, plans, and programs 

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1 of the Federal Government associated with information 

2 technology. In carrying out this section, the Federal CTO 

3 shall— 

4 (1) define coherent and systematic approaches 

5 for applying the use of information technology to 

6 critical and emerging Federal Government informa7 tion management problems, and promote coordina8 tion of the responsibilities and programs of Federal 

9 departments and agencies in the resolution of the 

10 problems; 

11 (2) gather timely and authoritative information 

12 concerning significant developments and trends in 

13 information technology, and in national priorities, 

14 both current and prospective, and analyze and inter15 pret the information for the purpose of determining 

16 whether the developments and trends are likely to 

17 affect achievement of the priority goals of the Fed18 eral Government; 

19 (3) encourage the development and mainte20 nance of an adequate knowledge base for human re21 sources in information technology, including the de22 velopment of appropriate models to forecast future 

23 workforce requirements, and assess the effects of 

24 major governmental and public programs on human 

25 resources and their utilization; 

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1 (4) initiate studies and analyses, including sys2 tems analyses and technology assessments, of alter3 natives available for the resolution of critical and 

4 emerging information technology infrastructure 

5 problems and, insofar as possible, determine and 

6 compare probable costs, benefits, and impacts of the 

7 alternatives; 

8 (5) assess the impact of information technology 

9 and networked information technology systems and 

10 applications on cybersecurity and personal privacy, 

11 utilizing Presidential and departmental advisory 

12 committees and agencies, such as the Privacy and 

13 Civil Liberties Oversight Board, the Information Se14 curity and Privacy Advisory Board managed under 

15 the National Institute of Standards and Technology, 

16 the Department of Homeland Security Data Privacy 

17 and Integrity Advisory Board, and the National In18 frastructure Advisory Committee, and advise the 

19 President on steps necessary to mitigate and man20 age security and privacy risks; 

21 (6) advise the President on the extent to which 

22 the information technology programs, policies, and 

23 operations activities of the Federal Government are 

24 likely to affect the achievement of the priority goals 

25 of the Government; 

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1 (7) provide the President with periodic reviews 

2 of Federal statutes and administrative regulations of 

3 the various Federal departments and agencies which 

4 affect research and development activities, internally 

5 and in relation to the private sector, or which may 

6 interfere with desirable technological innovation, to7 gether with recommendations for elimination, re8 form, or updating, as appropriate of the statutes 

9 and regulations; 

10 (8) establish public-private partnerships to co11 ordinate Federal Government’s information tech12 nology research agenda with private sector research 

13 and development initiatives and provide guidance to 

14 research-funding agencies; 

15 (9) develop, review, revise, and recommend cri16 teria for determining information technology activi17 ties warranting Federal support, and recommend 

18 Federal policies designed to advance the develop19 ment and maintenance of effective and efficient in20 formation technology capabilities, including human 

21 resources, at all levels of government, academia, and 

22 industry, and the effective application of the capa23 bilities to national needs; 

24 (10) assess, and advise, on policies for inter25 national cooperation in information technology which 

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1 will advance the national and international objectives 

2 of the United States; 

3 (11) identify and assess areas in which informa4 tion technology can be used effectively in addressing 

5 national and international problems; and 

6 (12) perform such other duties and functions 

7 and make and furnish such studies, reports, and rec8 ommendations as the President may request. 

9 (d) OPERATIONS.— 

10 (1) POWERS.—To carry out the duties de11 scribed in subsections (b) and (c), the Federal CTO 

12 may do the following: 

13 (A) HEARINGS.—Hold public hearings on 

14 any relevant topic. 

15 (B) CONDUCT STUDIES.—Conduct a study 

16 on any relevant topic. 

17 (C) ADVISORY PANELS.—Establish advi18 sory panels composed of individuals appointed 

19 by the Federal CTO for such terms as the Fed20 eral CTO determines appropriate. 

21 (D) GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS.—Award 

22 grants and fellowships. 

23 (E) MAILS.—Use the United States mails 

24 in the same manner and under the same condimstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with BILLS

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1 tions as departments and agencies of the 

2 United States. 

3 (F) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—To the ex4 tent or in the amounts provided in advance in 

5 appropriations Acts, enter into contracts with 

6 and compensate a government or private agency 

7 or person for the conduct of activities under 

8 this section. 

9 (G) AUTHORITY TO ACCEPT VOLUNTARY

10 SERVICES.— 

11 (i) Notwithstanding section 1342 of 

12 title 31, United States Code, accept the 

13 service of a volunteer. 

14 (ii) Reimburse a volunteer for ex15 penses or office supplies and local travel, 

16 and for travel expenses, including per diem 

17 in lieu of subsistence, incurred in per18 forming services for the Office. 

19 (H) TEMPORARY AND INTERMITTENT

20 SERVICES.—Obtain temporary and intermittent 

21 services in the same manner as an agency 

22 under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States 

23 Code. 

24 (2) VOLUNTEER DEEMED A FEDERAL EM25 PLOYEE.—While performing services for the Office, 

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1 a volunteer is deemed an employee of the Federal 

2 Government for the purposes of the following: 

3 (A) Chapter 81 of title 5, United States 

4 Code, relating to compensation for work-related 

5 injuries. 

6 (B) Chapter 11 of title 18, United States 

7 Code, relating to conflicts of interest. 

8 (C) Chapter 171 of title 28, United States 

9 Code, relating to tort claims. 

10 (3) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—The Federal CTO 

11 may receive travel expenses, including per diem in 

12 lieu of subsistence, in accordance with applicable 

13 provisions under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 

14 5, United States Code. 

15 (e) COORDINATION OF THE OFFICE WITH OTHER

16 ENTITIES.— 

17 (1) FEDERAL CTO TO BE ON DOMESTIC POLICY

18 COUNCIL.—The Federal CTO shall be a member of 

19 the Domestic Policy Council. 

20 (2) OBTAIN INFORMATION FROM AGENCIES.— 

21 The Office may secure, directly from any depart22 ment or agency of the United States, information 

23 necessary to enable the Federal CTO to carry out 

24 this Act. On request of the Federal CTO, the head 

25 of the department or agency shall furnish the informstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with BILLS

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1 mation to the Office, subject to any applicable limi2 tations of Federal law. 

3 (3) STAFF OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.—On re4 quest of the Federal CTO, to assist the Office in 

5 carrying out the duties of the Office, the head of any 

6 Federal department or agency may detail personnel, 

7 services, or facilities of the department or agency to 

8 the Office. 

9 (4) COLLABORATION WITH BUREAU OF LABOR

10 STATISTICS.—The Federal CTO shall work with the 

11 Bureau of Labor Statistics to develop mechanisms 

12 for tracking the effect of technological innovations 

13 on job creation. 

14 (5) COLLABORATION WITH OFFICE OF MANAGE15 MENT AND BUDGET.—The Federal CTO shall— 

16 (A) assist the Office of Management and 

17 Budget with an annual review and analysis of 

18 funding proposed for research and development 

19 in the budgets of all Federal departments and 

20 agencies; and 

21 (B) on a reimbursable basis, assist the Of22 fice of Management and Budget and Federal 

23 departments and agencies throughout the budg24 et development process. 

25 (f) ANNUAL REPORT.— 

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1 (1) PUBLICATION AND CONTENTS.—The Fed2 eral CTO shall publish, in the Federal Register and 

3 on a public Internet Web site of the Federal CTO, 

4 an annual report that includes the following: 

5 (A) Information on programs to promote 

6 the development of technological innovations. 

7 (B) Recommendations for the adoption of 

8 policies to encourage the generation of techno9 logical innovations. 

10 (C) Information on the activities and ac11 complishments of the Office in the year covered 

12 by the report. 

13 (2) SUBMISSION.—The Federal CTO shall sub14 mit each report under paragraph (1) to— 

15 (A) the President; 

16 (B) the Committee on Oversight and Gov17 ernment Reform of the House of Representa18 tives; 

19 (C) the Committee on Science and Tech20 nology of the House of Representatives; and 

21 (D) the Committee on Commerce, Science, 

22 and Transportation of the Senate. 

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