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To ensure that the United States is prepared to meet the Year 2000 computer problem.
Summary
This bill establishes federal requirements to prepare for the Year 2000 computer problem, which affected systems that could not correctly process dates between the 20th and 21st centuries. Federal agencies must develop business continuity plans to ensure critical services continue uninterrupted if systems fail. The Office of Management and Budget must report monthly to Congress on federal information systems that may not meet the Year 2000 deadline and the consequences of potential failures. The bill prohibits federal agencies from purchasing goods or services that are not Year 2000 compliant, except when agency heads determine such purchases are necessary and provide written notice to Congress and OMB. The President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion is directed to develop best practices and standards for addressing the problem.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
Actions (6)
- Oct 16, 1998 Referred to the Subcommittee on Government Management, Information and Technology. · house
- Oct 13, 1998 Referred to the Subcommittee on Technology. · house
- Oct 6, 1998 Referred to House Government Reform · house
- Oct 6, 1998 Referred to the Committee on Science, and in addition to the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Oct 6, 1998 Referred to House Science · house
- Oct 6, 1998 Introduced in House
Similar bills (6)
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Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 6, 1998
Mrs. Morella introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, and in addition to the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To ensure that the United States is prepared to meet the Year 2000 computer problem.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Year 2000 Preparedness Act”.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act—
(1) the term “Year 2000 compliant” has the meaning given to such term in section 39.002 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (as adopted on August 22, 1997); and
(2) the term “Year 2000 computer problem” means, with respect to information technology, any problem which prevents such technology from accurately processing, calculating, comparing, or sequencing date or time data—
(A) from, into, or between—
(i) the 20th and 21st centuries; or
(ii) the years 1999 and 2000; or
(B) with regard to leap year calculations.
SEC. 3. CRITICAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES.
The President shall provide for the acceleration of the development of business continuity plans by Federal agencies necessary to ensure the uninterrupted delivery by those agencies of critical mission- related services.
SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of the Congress that the President should—
(1) take a high profile national leadership position to aggressively promote Year 2000 date change awareness for information technology systems and sensitive infrastructure applications; and
(2) authorize the Chairperson of the President’s Council on Year 2000 Conversion to take control of any critical Federal agency system that is in jeopardy because of ineffective management of not meeting the January 1, 2000, deadline with respect to the Year 2000 computer problem.
SEC. 5. MONTHLY REPORTS.
The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall transmit to the Congress a monthly report assessing critical Federal information systems that will not, or may not, meet the Year 2000 computer problem deadline, and the anticipated consequences of those failures. Such report shall include a description of the status of business continuity plans for systems identified as being in jeopardy. The Director, in consultation with the Congress, shall establish additional reporting criteria for areas such as embedded systems and external data exchange.
SEC. 6. AGENCY REPORTS.
All Federal agency reports to the Office of Management and Budget relating to the Year 2000 computer problem shall be concurrently transmitted to the Congress.
SEC. 7. GUIDELINES.
The Chairperson of the President’s Council on Year 2000 Conversion shall develop, in consultation with industry, guidelines of best practices and standards for remediation and validation with respect to the Year 2000 computer problem to provide better direction for government and private sector efforts.
SEC. 8. PROHIBITION ON ACQUISITION BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF GOODS AND SERVICES THAT ARE NOT YEAR 2000 COMPLIANT.
(a) Prohibition on Acquisition.—
(1) In general.—An officer or employee of the United States Government may not enter into any contract on behalf of the United States, or otherwise expend or obligate funds of the United States, to acquire goods or services that are not Year 2000 compliant.
(2) Waiver.—
(A) In general.—The head of any Federal agency may waive the prohibition in paragraph (1) with respect to the acquisition of a particular good or service if—
(i) the head of such agency makes a determination, in writing, that the acquisition of the good or service which is not Year 2000 compliant is necessary to the function and operation of the agency or is required pursuant to a signed contract which became effective before the effective date of section 631 of Public Law 105-61; and
(ii) written notice of the issuance of the waiver and a copy of the determination are submitted by the head of such agency to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget and to the Congress.
(B) Effective date of waiver.—No waiver issued under subparagraph (A) shall be effective before the end of the 2d business day beginning after the notice required under subparagraph (A)(ii) is received by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
(b) Sunset.—This section shall not apply after December 31, 2002. <all>
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