People

Treasury programs boost e-gov

Two new programs employ the Internet to let people as well as state and local government make purchases

People

VA signs on to digital signatures

GSA awarded 100,000 free digital certificates to the Department of Veterans Affairs in the first major award since ESign became law

People

Hill puts lid on cookie jar

Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.) last week added an amendment to the Treasury/ Postal appropriations bill calling for a moratorium on agency use of 'cookies,' small bits of software placed on a Web user's hard drive.

People

An L.L. Bean for senior citizens

The Social Security Administration is planning to become the L.L. Bean of the Internet for senior citizens seeking information and online services ? all of it for free.

Digital Government

IRS, Customs funds stay alive

The House on Thursday approved the fiscal 2001 Treasury Department/Postal Service spending bill that includes money to set U.S. Customs Service modernization in motion and continue modernizing the Internal Revenue Service.

People

Funding to help farm agency go digital

The Agriculture Department has received an extra $38 million to help modernize systems at the Farm Service Agency to accommodate ebusiness

People

Modern IRS on track

The Internal Revenue Service's modernization program is on track, with plans to phase in a master database that will enable the IRS to keep track of each contact the agency makes with taxpayers

Digital Government

The Circuit

The security problem that put former CIA Director John Deutch in hot water may soon be a thing of the past. Chief information officers at various agencies are looking into supplying Cabinet secretaries with secure systems in their homes so that they can work on classified documents in the comfort of their own living rooms.

People

The cost of modernization

Medicare could lose $140 million a year in interest if the Health Care Financing Administration reduces the number of days doctors must wait for payment for services.

People

Addition by subtraction

Working with Computer Sciences Corp., the IRS has developed a plan to phase in a master database, put even the most complicated forms online and make it easier for taxpayers to talk to the IRS.

People

Trusted at Treasury

Don Hagerling doesn't wear a uniform. His basement office at the Treasury Department is nonthreatening no cameras, monitors or metal detectors, not even a signin sheet for visitors.

People

Medicare fix may be bad medicine

Although the check may not be in the mail as quickly as doctors would like, a government plan to modernize Medicare's payment system for doctors could cost too much to adopt.

Digital Government

Customs funding clears hurdle

A House appropriations subcommittee earmarked money last week to keep the U.S. Customs Service modernization program alive for another year

People

Lieberman pushes IT czar

Senator may introduce legislation this year to create the post within the Office of Management and Budget

Digital Government

Customs funding moves forward

A House Appropriations subcommittee earmarked money to keep the U.S. Customs Service modernization program alive for another year

People

Electronic Medicare system may lose millions

Medicare may lose $140 million annually in earned interest if a system is created to pay doctors more quickly, GAO warned Congress

Digital Government

IRS building master file

The IRS' modernization program is on track, with plans to phase in a master database to keep track of every contact the agency makes with taxpayers

People

SSA advances e-services offerings

Medicare recipients can use a form at SSA's Web site to apply for a replacement card online

People

Taking on the tough assignments

When the Internal Revenue Service advertised for an executive who was not 'faint of heart,' Brian Burns knew the job was for him.

People

An IT cure-all

Brian Burns doesn't look like a visionary. His office is strewn with paper, and his filing system is on the floor. But behind the chaos is an idea that may dramatically change how government agencies buy and manage technology.