The IT Alliance for Public Sector (ITAPS), a division of the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), commends Sens. Warner and Portman for bringing the Digital Accountability and Transparency (DATA) Act to the Senate floor for passage. The DATA Act is arguably the most transformative piece of federal open data legislation since the Freedom of Information Act of 1996; establishing government-wide financial data standards and aligning them with thepresident’s Open Data Policy.
 
“This bill has undergone multiple iterations over the years and this is the first time that the Senate has been successful in bringing the bill to the floor,” ITAPS Senior Vice President Trey Hodgkins says of the version that passed today. “This is a testament to the fact that this version included input from a multitude of stakeholder groups including the private sector, the administration, and the sponsors and advocates in the House including Chairman Issa and Rep.Cummings.”
 
The DATA Act will allow agencies, appropriators, and taxpayers to track federal spending more effectively. 
“We believe the new phased approach to improving data automation, standardization, and publication is the best way for agencies to be able to properly implement the legislation. We look forward to working with OMB and Treasury as well as the other agencies to offer our recommendations for consistent data standards,” continues Hodgkins.
 
ITI and ITAPS are partnering with the Data Transparency Coalition to host the Data Transparency Summit on Tuesday, April 29th in Washington, D.C. to explore the transformation of federal spending data from disconnected documents into open, standardized data. ITI’s President and CEO, Dean Garfield, and ITAPS’ Trey Hodgkins will be guest speakers. For more information about the DATA Act or the Data Transparency Summit, please contact Erica R. McCann at emccann@itic.org.

About ITI.  ITI is the premier advocacy and policy organization for the world’s leading innovation companies.  ITI navigates the relationships between policymakers, companies, and non-governmental organizations, providing creative solutions that advance the development and use of technology around the world.  Visit itic.org to learn more. Follow us on Twitter @ITI_TechTweets.

About ITAPS. ITAPS, a division of ITI, is an alliance of leading technology companies building and integrating the latest innovative technologies for the public sector market. With a focus on the federal, state, and local levels of government, as well as on educational institutions, ITAPS advocates for improved procurement policies and practices, while identifying business development opportunities and sharing market intelligence with our industry participants. Visit itaps.itic.org to learn more. Follow us on Twitter @ITAlliancePS.

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