Just days after Congress again picked up the mantle of modernizing the federal government's information technology, the Trump administration has turned its focus to the topic.

President Trump signed an executive order forming the American Technology Council — a committee composed of administration officials to reform the way agencies update their IT and digital services.

Related: Read the executive order.

"It is the policy of the United States to promote the secure, efficient and economical use of information technology to achieve its missions," the May 1 executive order said. 

"Americans deserve better digital services from their government. To effectuate this policy, the federal government must transform and modernize its information technology and how it uses and delivers digital services."

The council would be made up of 19 members — including the secretaries of Defense, Commerce and Homeland Security, alongside other officials, such as the U.S. Digital Service administrator, Office of Management and Budget director and the director of National Intelligence, among others.

Trump and Vice President Mike Pence will preside over the ATC's meetings, which will consist of discussions about how the White House can "coordinate the vision, strategy and direction for the federal government's use of information technology and the delivery of services through information technology," including crafting policy to achieve those goals.

The move comes four days after Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, re-introduced his Modernizing Government Technology Act to reform the way the government procures IT.

The Modernizing Government Technology Act emerged last year as a bipartisan combination of Hurd’s MOVE IT Act and Rep. Steny Hoyer’s, D-Md., Information Technology Modernization Act as a way to help agencies fund the replacement of their legacy IT systems.

The bill provides individual working capital funds for each agency to modernize their IT systems called for in Hurd’s MOVE IT Act, but also sets up a central Information Technology and Modernization Fund and Board to "improve Government-wide efficiency and cybersecurity in accordance with the 15 requirements of the agencies."

Agencies would "reprogram" their own IT funding to apply to their IT modernization efforts, effectively spending their own money on upgrade projects through individual accounts.

The central fund — along with an Information Technology Modernization Board to advise it — would establish a revolving pool managed by the General Services Administration and the Office of Management and Budget that agencies would apply to receive monies for certain IT projects.

The White House backed the legislation on April 28, with Reed Cordish and Chris Liddell, members of the White House Office of American Innovation, touting their support in a statement.

"We are excited about today's introduction of the Modernizing Government Technology Act; this important bipartisan work, led by Rep. Will Hurd and Rep. Steny Hoyer, will enable significant progress to be made towards creating a more effective, efficient, and accountable government for all Americans," the pair said.

It’s unclear how, or if, the Office of American Innovation would collaborate with the ATC. Trump launched the OAI on March 27 as a way to incorporate private-sector solutions and efficiencies into government services.

Both entities have expressed support of the USDS as a partner in its innovation efforts. The order authorizes the ATC to operate until Jan. 20, 2021.

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