Austin News

Bipartisan legislation that aims to streamline government spending and reduce waste has passed a key hurdle. The Source Code Harmonization And Reuse in Information Technology (SHARE IT) Act, introduced by U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Ted Cruz and U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Gary Peters, unanimously cleared the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

The SHARE IT Act requires government agencies to share custom-developed source code with each other, in an effort to avoid duplicative government contracts for software. Senator Cruz expressed his optimism about the legislation, stating, "I am hopeful that this bipartisan, common-sense legislation will quickly pass the Senate and become law so that we can begin holding federal agencies accountable for sharing the code they procure and save taxpayer funds by doing so."

Chairman Peters emphasized the benefits of sharing code across agencies, including saving taxpayer money, increasing digital efficiency for government services, strengthening security, and enabling innovation in software. He stated, "This bipartisan bill is a critical step forward in advancing the digital capacity of the federal government and will benefit Americans as they access government services online."

Currently, the federal government spends approximately $12 billion annually on software, including custom-developed software for agencies such as websites, analytical models, and apps. However, agencies do not typically share this custom-developed code with one another, leading to duplicative contracts and unnecessary spending. The SHARE IT Act addresses this inefficiency by requiring agencies to publicly list and share their custom code with the rest of the government. The legislation also ensures transparency by requiring agencies to publicly list their custom code, with exceptions for code related to national security systems, classified code, or code that poses a risk to individual privacy.

Importantly, the SHARE IT Act does not require additional funding, as agencies already have the means to share code through existing government infrastructure or open-source and commercial platforms.

The passage of the SHARE IT Act represents a significant step towards improving the digital capacity of the federal government and promoting more efficient use of taxpayer funds. This bipartisan effort demonstrates a commitment to accountability and innovation in government services. For more information about the SHARE IT Act, visit the official website or read the full text of the legislation.