Bill Overview
Title: Legacy IT Reduction Act of 2022
Description: This bill addresses the problem of legacy information technology (IT) used by the federal government. Specifically, each federal agency must compile an inventory that lists each legacy IT system used, operated, or maintained by the agency; and within two years of this bill's enactment, and every five years thereafter, develop and include a plan to modernize the legacy IT systems as part of the agency's information resource management strategic plan. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) must issue guidance on this bill's implementation, including criteria to determine whether IT qualifies as a legacy IT system. Each agency must transfer to schools or nonprofit organizations any educationally useful federal equipment that the agency no longer uses. The Government Accountability Office must report to Congress on this bill's implementation and how this bill functions alongside other IT modernization offices, policies, and programs.
Sponsors: Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH]
Target Audience
Population: Employees of U.S. federal agencies, beneficiaries of government services, and recipients of transferred equipment
Estimated Size: 1000000
- The bill targets federal agencies in the United States, which affects government operations.
- Federal employees, especially those in IT departments, will be directly affected as they will be involved in the inventory and modernization processes.
- Modernizing IT systems may lead to efficiency gains, benefiting both federal employees and citizens who utilize government services.
- Schools and nonprofit organizations could benefit from receiving educationally useful equipment.
- The OMB, responsible for issuing guidance, will have to allocate resources and personnel for implementation.
- The Government Accountability Office will require additional resources to report on the bill's implementation.
Reasoning
- Federal IT employees are directly impacted by the need to assess and modernize systems.
- Government service users might experience improved service reliability and efficiency.
- Schools and nonprofits could benefit from receiving equipment, aiding in educational goals.
- The policy's $50 million year-one budget may limit initial equipment transfers.
- The policy, involving millions of federal employees, mostly impacts agency employees responsible for IT.
Simulated Interviews
IT Specialist at a federal agency (Washington, D.C.)
Age: 32 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think updating our IT systems is long overdue; it will make our work much more efficient.
- There is concern about the workload required to inventory and modernize within the given timelines.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 2 |
Public school teacher (Denver, CO)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Getting federal equipment would be fantastic; our current resources are very limited.
- I'm a bit skeptical whether the equipment will be really 'educationally useful'.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Nonprofit manager (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 29 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could provide us with much-needed resources to support our programs.
- We are hopeful but unsure about the quantity and quality of equipment we might receive.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Retired federal employee (Houston, TX)
Age: 58 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 20/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Modernizing IT systems should have happened when I was still working; it's essential.
- I hope the cost savings will benefit taxpayers like myself in the long run.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Federal contractor (Seattle, WA)
Age: 37 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This act could lead to more contracts and projects for my company, which is positive.
- However, the immediate increase in workload might be challenging to manage.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 2 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 2 |
Graduate student (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 24 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This is an interesting case study for my research.
- I don't anticipate any direct personal impacts, but it's important in the field.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
IT project manager for a federal agency (Miami, FL)
Age: 52 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This act provides a framework and funding that are badly needed to update outdated systems.
- I'm excited about the potential efficiencies but worried about how quickly we need to transition.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 3 |
Federal policy analyst (Chicago, IL)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could be pivotal for modernizing federal services.
- Accurate implementation will be key for long-term effectiveness.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Federal retiree (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 65 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 19/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It is high time for the government services to be modernized; I've seen the inefficiencies firsthand.
- I don't expect any personal impact from this policy, but it's a step in the right direction for future federal operations.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
IT consultant (New York, NY)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy will likely drive demand for consultancy work, which is great for my business.
- The workload might increase significantly, so resource planning is critical.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 2 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $60000000)
Year 2: $70000000 (Low: $60000000, High: $80000000)
Year 3: $30000000 (Low: $20000000, High: $40000000)
Year 5: $35000000 (Low: $25000000, High: $45000000)
Year 10: $40000000 (Low: $30000000, High: $50000000)
Year 100: $30000000 (Low: $20000000, High: $40000000)
Key Considerations
- The upfront cost of inventorying and modernizing IT systems is significant but necessary for long-term efficiency.
- Potential savings from efficiency gains could offset costs over time, making this a potentially budget-neutral or positive impact policy.
- The ability of federal agencies to execute modernization plans effectively will critically influence the cost and effectiveness of this policy.