Congressmen: The Government Wants You

Davis and Moran, who have emerged as two of the most tech-savvy politicians and staunch supporters of the IT industry in Congress, told an audience of government-focused vendors and solution providers that the federal IT budget will increase from $48 billion to $52 billion this year and that defense spending will increase around technology needs. In addition, they said the development of the Homeland Security Department would also create opportunities for both technology vendors and solution providers.

"From our standpoint, we want to get the funding flowing and energize and mobilize the private sector to make sure we're using all the technology available to us to give greater security to this country," Moran said during the conference's opening keynote Tuesday morning.

Davis and Moran both serve districts in northern Virginia and have been attuned to the growth of the IT industry around Washington, D.C., which they say has saved the region from more severe effects of the recession. Moran says the unemployment rate in the northern Virginia region is half of the overall rate for the country, for example. Davis says the IT industry, particularly companies focused on government business, has kept the region's economy healthy.

"As we have seen the dot bombs go down and pull the economy down, along with the lag in telecommunications, a lot of government contractors have picked this region up and kept it moving forward," Davis says. "There's a great opportunity for this region to be part of the solution and to help us economically."

Both congressmen highlighted the Defense Department's new security initiative as the biggest opportunity for IT companies. They also touted several programs and proposed bills focused on IT advancements. For example, Moran touted the Diver's License Modernization Act, which would install an encrypted computer chip with biometric data, such as a thumb print, in driver's license cards. Moran says the bill was spurred by the fact that several of the Sept. 11 terrorists attained fake driver's licenses in Northern Virginia.

"We've got to find a way to stop identity theft," he says.

Davis and Moran say the government opportunities are not without some headaches. Davis says the federal government is currently in the midst of developing the proposed Homeland Security Department and the restructuring of the intelligence community.

"It's a great mystery at this point in terms of how quickly this is going to move," Davis says.

In addition, Davis says the federal government needed a new system for purchasing and contracting technology and IT services because the current system was bogged down in excessive bureaucracy and confusion.

"Companies are running all over town showing off what they can do, but nobody in the government has any authority to do anything about it," Davis says. "Frankly, the government doesn't have the answers for all this, and we're going to have to go outside to the innovators in the private sector and induce you all to come up with ideas and solutions."