Obama Eyes $2B Increase In IT Budget

The president’s budget proposes nearly $2 billion in additional information technology funding for 2014, which would raise overall IT spending to $82 billion.

The Veterans Affairs Department would receive the biggest funding hike — 22 percent, or $722 million — compared with 2012, according data from the Office of Management and Budget. VA is requesting $3.9 billion in IT spending to fund several projects, including $32.8 million to develop VA’s paperless claims processing system, and $252 million for health records initiatives.

“Now is the time to invest in IT,” federal Chief Information Officer Steven VanRoekel told reporters. “IT will give you the ability to really have a multiplier effect in efficiency and effectiveness, if done well.”

VanRoekel touted administration efforts to reduce IT spending since 2009 after years of uncontrolled growth. The president’s budget notes that the compound annual growth rate of IT spending has slowed and is now less than 1 percent.