Bridging IT Gap Is Key To Government Modernization, Says Orszag

By Sarah Mamula - Talk Radio News Service

Peter Orszag, Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, believes that bridging the information technology (IT) gap between the government and private sector is “the single most important step we can take in creating a more efficient and productive federal government.”

“President Obama has undertaken a far-reaching effort to modernize and reform government,” said Orszag during remarks at the Center for American Progress Tuesday. “The IT gap is the key differentiator between our efforts to modernize government and those that have come before.”

Orszag emphasized the importance of aligning the government sector with the private, and outlined ways in which increased IT benefits the efficiency of federal agencies.

For example, the Department of Homeland Security has added an online tracking service for visa and citizenship applications where users can go online to check the status of their applications without having to send letters in the mail and wait for a response.

The government is also using IT to increase the sharing of information between agencies to reduce the $100 billion a year of improper payments, which is especially important to Medicare, where the largest problems of improper payments occur.

“In months ahead, we will be looking to unveil more of these technology-driven solutions,” said Orszag, who added that closing the IT gap will “increase productivity and responsiveness, efficiency and customer service” within the federal government.”

Experts Applaud New Direction In Nuclear Policy

By Justine Rellosa-Talk Radio News Service

A number of experts applauded the direction the Obama administration is taking in their nuclear policy during a conference call hosted by the Center for American Progress Tuesday.

“[The new guidelines] state that the U.S will not develop new nuclear warheads, and use only nuclear components based on previously tested designs,” said former British Defense Minister, Des Brown. “That’s extremely important for us here in the United Kingdom because we anticipate in the next parliament that we will have to make the decision about the future of our own nuclear warheads.”

The policies, contained in the administration's Congressionally mandated Nuclear Policy Review, outlines a significant change in the U.S government’s position on the use of nuclear weapons. The U.S. stance is now revised to emphasize the prevention of nuclear proliferation and terrorism. It also outlines the U.S agreement to withdraw from using weapons of mass destruction against any non-nuclear country that has signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

The release of the review comes just days before President Barack Obama is scheduled to sign the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Prague.

Associate Director of Russia and Eurasia at CAP, Samuel Charap, praised the move to stabilize relations with Russia.

“We’ve gone a long way in being able to discuss some issues that are crucial for the security of both the United States, Russia, and the rest of the world. They have sort of set the groundwork both for a broadening of the relationship between the U.S and Russia, and a deepening of the relationship on arms control and nuclear security issues,” said Charap.

In the political realm, START has bipartisan support from various former Repubican national security officials, according to Max Bergmann, a Policy Analyst of nuclear non-proliferation at CAP.

“[Former Secretaries of State] Henry Kissinger, Colin Powell, George Schultz and Senator Dick Lugar (R-Ind.), have stated their support for the ratification," said Bergmann.

Studies Show More Service Members Open To Ending “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

By Sofia Sanchez - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

A new poll released Wednesday by the Center for American Progress (CAP) shows the general public is less opposed to allowing openly gay men and women to serve in the U.S. military. 54 percent of those surveyed said they support repealing the current policy, compared to 35 percent who were opposed.

“It’s safe to say that it is no longer a question of if the ["Don't Ask Don't Tell"] policy will be repealed, but how,” said Senior Vice President for external affairs at CAP Winnie Stachelberg during a conference call with reporters on Wednesday.

Yet another poll shows there is also a shift of support for the repeal among active military members.

“Attitudes are changing among career oriented service members,” said Brendan McGarry, of Military Times, who also took part in Wednesday's call.

A study conducted by Military Times shows attitudes are shifting in support of allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly. 30 percent of active-duty military members support ending "Don't Ask Don't Tell." That number is up compared to 2003 when only 24 percent supported open service.

The Military Times study also found that two percent of active duty members identify themselves as being gay or bisexual. In addition, the study also found that women in the military were three times more likely than men to report being gay or bisexual.

“The military will be stronger, not weaker if this change is made,” said Stan Greensberg, with the public research group Greenberg Quinlan Rosner.

For more information on The Center for American Progress study visit: http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2010/02/dadt_poll.html

For more information on The Military Times study visit: http://www.militarytimes.com/news/2010/02/military_dont_ask_dont_tell_021510w/

'Party Of No' Creating Hurdles For Americans Says Hoyer

By Leah Valencia - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) chided Republican leadership Monday, claiming the minority party has acted irresponsibly by using obstructionism to slow down the legislative process.

“No one expects Republicans to roll over for President Obama," Hoyer said during his remarks at The Center for American Progress. "But the ‘Party of No’ strategy is so disappointing because the history of Congress is full of loyal oppositions that shared responsibility for governing in trying times and shaped some of the most important legislation of their eras."

The Majority Leader said using such tactics lessens the overall effectiveness of Congress, saying that in the Senate the use of filibuster has turned from a rare tool “of passionate oppostiton” into a “routine hurdle." Hoyer added that 70 percent of all major bills face filibuster tactics as compared to only eight percent in the 1960's and 70's.

"The hard choices that are being forced on our country demand engagement from both parties," Hoyer said. “It is almost impossible for one party to take them on alone.”

Hoyer noted past Republican legislative work on Medicare and Social Security bills to demonstrate the merit of bipartisan partnership.

"It is not asking too much for today’s Republicans to rise to those examples," he said. "The history of constructive minorities shows how much more we should expect and demand of them."

The Leader said he would welcome Republicans into debates on today’s key issues such as health care and climate change for the good of constituents nationwide.

“It's easy to say that Democrats actually want extremism to be the face of the opposition...that we would be happy for the 'Party of No' to keep saying no, but that's not true.” Hoyer said. “When we say no to the work of legislating, we do real harm to the institution of Congress and our nation's future."

Obama Administration Must Pay For Afghanistan Mission Says Liberal Think Tank

By Leah Valencia - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

Several Center for American Progress (CAP) officials said during a conference call Monday that the United States must find a sustainable method to fund the cost of the war and military aid in Afghanistan.

“It is important, and I can’t stress it enough, that we do not continue to accumulate more debt and borrow more money to deal with this situation,” said CAP Senior Fellow Lawrence Korb.

The CAP discussion took place on the day before President Barack Obama is scheduled to reveal his new strategy in Afghanistan. With military operations expenditures in Afghanistan on the rise - current costs amount to an average of $3.6 billion per month - Obama has been under pressure to explain how the U.S. will continue to fund future efforts there.

“It has been a disgrace that we have fought these two extended conflicts, in Iraq and Afghanistan, without paying for them; it is time to stop that now,” Korb said. “This is the first extended conflict we fought, where we have basically borrowed money.”

Obama is expected to send 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan, 10,000 fewer than were requested earlier this year by NATO Commander General Stanley McChrystal.

White House budget director Peter Orszag has estimated that sending an additional 30,000 troops there will cost the U.S. an additional $30 billion dollars a year.