It's out on:

www.house.gov/horn

follow links on Year 2000 (can't hotlink!).

Haven't read it yet...will comment later.

R.

-- Roland (nottelling@nowhere.com), February 22, 1999

Answers

Here is the text of his statement. The card requires adobe acrobat for viewing.

**********************************************************************

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Representative Stephen Horn, R-CA, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Government Management, Information, and Technology, today released the first set of grades of 1999 on the Federal Governments progress toward solving the Year 2000 computer problem. Mr. Horn made the following statement upon releasing the grades:

"In exactly 312 days, we will know whether the billions of dollars the Federal Government is spending to fix the vexing computer challenge of the Year 2000 has been wisely spent.

"The computer glitch, often called the "millennium bug" or simply "Y2K," dates back to the 1960s and 1970s when computers were bulky in size but small in memory. To conserve limited space, or memory, programmers began designating the year by using two digits rather than four. The year "1967," for example, appears as "67." The first two digits are assumed to be "19." Unless corrected, these date- sensitive computer systems and microchips, embedded in countless mechanical devices, may misinterpret the two zeros in "2000" as "1900." The fear is that this confusion may cause the systems to generate erroneous information, corrupt other systems or possibly shut down.

"Although the problem of converting these systems to the year 2000 was recognized long ago, its lack of attention  inside and outside the Federal Government  has turned this manageable problem into a potential crisis.

"As most of you know, I and the other members and staff of the Subcommittee on Government Management, Information, and Technology have been sounding the Year 2000 alarm within the Executive branch of the Federal Government for the past three years, prodding agencies to begin the complex process of fixing their computer systems. With few exceptions  the Social Security Administration being one  very few listened. But now, as we near the date of January 1, 2000, that malaise has awakened into a frenzied burst of activity.

"Today, I am releasing our seventh report card on the Federal Governments progress, based on each agencys self-reported information.

"Our able subcommittee staff and an excellent team from the General Accounting Office have followed up with various agencies when we were dubious concerning the data.

"Many agencies have made truly remarkable progress in bringing their mission-critical computer systems into Year 2000 compliance. Nevertheless, the overall Federal Government earned only a "C+" this quarter. Certainly, that is an improvement over the previous three quarters, when it garnered an "F" and two "Ds." But a "C+" is disappointing, considering the noteworthy accomplishments of most Federal departments and agencies.

"Six organizations lowered an otherwise stellar grade to mediocrity. But together, these agencies  the Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Health and Human Services, State, and Transportation, and the Agency for International Development  are responsible for more than 50 percent of all mission-critical computer systems in the Federal Government.

"Our concerns about these agencies are plentiful. For example, last December the Department of Defense reported that 81 percent of its mission-critical systems were Year 2000 compliant. But in the departments quarterly report this month, officials stated that only 72 percent were compliant. Either the department has a serious internal communications problem, or it has taken a very big step backward in its Year 2000 efforts. Either way, the situation is alarming. Today, DODs biggest battle is fixing its own computer systems.

"The Department of Transportation is moving toward January 1 at a snails pace, with only 53 percent of its systems Year 2000 compliant. This quarter, the department reported a miserable two percent increase in progress. At that rate, the "T" in DOT means "trouble" not "transportation." The Federal Aviation Administrations antiquated air traffic control system is a significant part of the problem. Its progress rate makes the horse and buggy look like rapid transit.

"The Department of Health and Human Services has made significant progress in its Year 2000 compliance. But we remain deeply concerned over the Health Care Financing Administrations problem with external data exchanges. Millions of our most vulnerable citizens  the elderly and the ill  depend on this agencys ability to function, whether the year is 1999 or 2000.

"Within Health and Human Services, there is also another area of concern: the less visible Payment Management System. This system processes about $170 billion a year in Federal grants and other payment services, yet this major computer system is not Year 2000 compliant.

"The Department of State remains mired in the Jeffersonian era of quills and scrolls, and flickering candlelight. Although the department increased its compliance rate by 25 percent this quarter, only 61 percent of its systems are Year 2000 compliant. A lot of work remains, and time is running short.

"Finally, there is the Agency for International Development (AID), which was recently adopted by the Department of State. AID remains buried at the bottom of our grade pool. That small agency has only seven mission-critical systems. However, not one of them is Year 2000 compliant. Given its current progress, we arent sure which millenium this agency is targeting for compliance. Agency officials, of course, disagree. They report that the work will be completed by September 1999. Dont count on it.

"Now here is the good news.

"Nine Federal agencies will soon join the Social Security Administration and Small Business Administration in becoming 100 percent Year 2000 compliant. And we anticipate that they will do it in time to meet President Clintons March 31, 1999, deadline for compliance. That is less than six weeks away. These agencies have allowed themselves time for the next major step in meeting this computer challenge: end-to-end testing of all integrated systems. While all are expected to have Year 2000 compliant software systems in place next month, the seven agencies that earned "A-minuses" missed being 100 percent compliant during this quarter. Nevertheless, all are to be congratulated for some outstanding work.

"Five agencies worthy of note have improved their mission-critical compliance rate by 30 percent or more during this quarter.

"Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson has fired up his department, resulting in a 35 percent leap in Energys Year 2000 readiness. Of the agencys 420 mission-critical systems, 357 are reported to be compliant.

"Similarly, the Department of Justice, which in November had only 54 percent of its mission-critical systems ready for the new millenium, now has 86 percent of the work completed.

"This quarter has seen impressive progress by the Office of Personnel Management, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the Department of Health and Human Services  despite continuing problems within the latters Health Care Financing Administration.

"In a nutshell, thats the bad and the good. But is only the first part of the Year 2000 compliance process. As Federal agencies move toward the next phase of end-to-end testing, the subcommittee will also redirect its focus toward this multiple-system process.

"We must begin a closer examination of state, local, and international computer systems that transfer information into our Federal systems. At the moment, there simply is not enough information about any of these entities to determine whether they will interface with Federal computers, or whether they will pose a serious risk.

"In conclusion, despite a lingering skepticism in some realms, I assure you: The Year 2000 problem is real; its consequences are serious; and the deadline remains unstoppable.

-- Roland (nottelling@nowhere.com), February 22, 1999.

You've got to love his way with words.

One quick observation. The November report listed 6696 mission critical systems...now it's down to 6404. That certainly helps their "self-reported" percentages, doesn't it?

R.

-- Roland (nottelling@nowhere.com), February 22, 1999.

Thanks Roland, here's the link:

http://www.hous e.gov/reform/gmit/y2k/990222.htm

-- Deborah (horn@comedian.com), February 22, 1999.

Nice that some progress is being made. But it's too little, too late. What about the non-mission critical systems?

Mission critical systems are, from the Fed's own numbers, less than 10% of the total number of systems. And, as mentioned, seem to decrease every quarter.

Regardless of any "good news" one can get from this "report card", it is rarely mentioned that the government long ago scrapped any attempt at fixing everything. Can they survive if 90% of its systems are ignored completely?

-- Steve Hartsman (hartsman@ticon.net), February 22, 1999.

"In exactly 312 days, we will know whether the billions of dollars the Federal Government is spending to fix the vexing computer challenge of the Year 2000 has been wisely spent...
Although the problem of converting these systems to the year 2000 was recognized long ago, its lack of attention  inside and outside the Federal Government  has turned this manageable problem into a potential crisis...
very few listened. But now, as we near the date of January 1, 2000, that malaise has awakened into a frenzied burst of activity...
Six organizations lowered an otherwise stellar grade to mediocrity. But together, these agencies  the Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Health and Human Services, State, and Transportation, and the Agency for International Development  are responsible for more than 50 percent of all mission-critical computer systems in the Federal Government...

Our concerns about these agencies are plentiful. For example, last December the Department of Defense reported that 81 percent of its mission-critical systems were Year 2000 compliant. But in the departments quarterly report this month, officials stated that only 72 percent were compliant. Either the department has a serious internal communications problem, or it has taken a very big step backward in its Year 2000 efforts. Either way, the situation is alarming. Today, DODs biggest battle is fixing its own computer systems...

The Department of Transportation is moving toward January 1 at a snails pace, with only 53 percent of its systems Year 2000 compliant. This quarter, the department reported a miserable two percent increase in progress. At that rate, the "T" in DOT means "trouble" not "transportation." The Federal Aviation Administrations antiquated air traffic control system is a significant part of the problem. Its progress rate makes the horse and buggy look like rapid transit...

But we remain deeply concerned over the Health Care Financing Administrations problem with external data exchanges. Millions of our most vulnerable citizens  the elderly and the ill  depend on this agencys ability to function, whether the year is 1999 or 2000...
Within Health and Human Services, there is also another area of concern: the less visible Payment Management System. This system processes about $170 billion a year in Federal grants and other payment services, yet this major computer system is not Year 2000 compliant.

The Department of State remains mired in the Jeffersonian era of quills and scrolls, and flickering candlelight...
The Year 2000 problem is real; its consequences are serious; and the deadline remains unstoppable..."

Zounds! Uh, this DOES *NOT* look good, folks! Chalk up the ineptitude & time factor to the Doomers. Been keeping a mental scorecard, hoping the Cheerfuls will begin trouncing the Gloomers, but more + more the Doomers are burying the Brushers.

Meltdown coming, lava rising, when will the top blow?

xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), February 22, 1999.

Our major market am radio KABC is today including Horn's report with government overall grade of C+ at the top of hourly news blurbs. I can't help but remember Scary Gary's prediction that Y2K would be mainstream soon....Add into this mix the recent thread about folks quietly and secretly preparing, and my mind goes to bringing down my TEOTWAWKI meter .5 ,....

-- Donna Barthuley (moment@pacbell.net), February 22, 1999.

See thread ...

Y2K Emergency Funds Requested -- OMB Memorandum to the Speaker of the House of Representatives

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id= 000Woc

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), February 22, 1999.

HaHahahahahahah! Here's KoSkin'Em's take on this devastating report card. Think he took the self-esteem class too seriously and got a case of hyper-inflated egomania, with the alien-implant plastic noddy smile.

Some progress in dealing with computer problem, lawmaker says

John Koskinen, head of the president's Year 2000 Council, said he was pleased by Horn's latest assessment. Horn, Koskinen said, ``has complained I was overoptimistic, but when the dust gets settled we'll find that I was more right than he was, and I'm delighted with that.''

[Excuse, barf, back to article]

``At least we know there is recognition that 'Y2K' is not a new cereal,'' said Rep. Constance Morella, R-Md., who has worked to draw attention to the problem.

[ She's the *one* who stood when Clinton tried to talk about Y2K during the State Of The Union speech. ]

xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx

-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), February 22, 1999.

Federal Computer Week

FEBRUARY 22, 1999 . . . 14:59 EST

Rep. reports feds make headway on Y2K

http://www.fcw.com/pubs/fcw/1999/0222/web-horn-2-22-99.html

[They show a large graphic report card]

BY ORLANDO De BRUCE (orlando_debruce@fcw.com)

A House Republican who follows federal agencies' progress in fixing their computers for the Year 2000 bug, today gave a more optimistic view of the federal government's ability to have computers fixed before the new millennium.

Rep. Steve Horn (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Subcommittee on Government Management, Information and Technology, said he expects 11 agencies will have their millennium computer glitches fixed by the Clinton administration's March 31 deadline, and 20 of the 24 major federal agencies will have their computers fixed by Dec. 31, 1999.

In his seventh quarterly report card, Horn gave the Clinton administration an overall grade of C-plus for its Year 2000 efforts, which is an improvement from previous reports when the federal government received a D or an F.

Horn warned that he is cautiously optimistic about the progress because his report is based on data supplied by the agencies who submit their progress to the Office of Management and Budget. Horn said he cross-checks the data with agencies' inspectors general and the General Accounting Office.

"Many of the agencies have made truly remarkable progress in bringing their mission-critical computer systems into the Year 2000 compliance,'' Horn said. "But a C-plus is disappointing, considering the noteworthy accomplishments of most federal departments and agencies.''

Of the 24 agencies Horn graded, 11 received A's, seven received B's, three received C's and three received F's. Agencies in the A category are expected to make theMarch 31 deadline, Horn said.

Those agencies receiving F's are the departments of State and Transportation and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Horn said the Federal Aviation Administration's antiquated air traffic control system is a significant part of DOT's lack of progress. "[FAA's] progress rate makes the horse and buggy look like rapid transit,'' he said. Even though they expect some airplanes to be grounded next year, Horn and Rep. Constance Morella, (R-Md.), chairwoman of the Technology Subcommittee of the House Science Committee, said they have confidence in the FAA leadership to turn things around.

State is having a problem fixing communication systems overseas, which is keeping the department behind, Horn said. And USAID "remains buried at the bottom of our grade pool,'' he said. "Given its current progress, we aren't sure which millennium this agency is targeting for compliance. Agency officials, of course, disagree. They report that the work will be completed by September1999. Don't count on it.''

Horn said that agencies should focus on state and international computer systems that interface with the federal government because they are significantly behind in their Year 2000 efforts. In the next OMB report, to be released next month, the White House will examine federal interfaces at the state level. [See related story, White House shifts Y2K focus to states.]

"In Europe, there is still an attitude of denial,'' Horn said. "Hopefully there will be a last-minute panic to fix the systems so they won't pollute our systems."

See also thread (Koskinen again) ...

White House Shifts Y2K Focus To States

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id= 000WqH

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), February 22, 1999.

That opening paragraph is masterful: "A House Republican who follows federal agencies' progress in fixing their computers for the Year 2000 bug, today gave a more optimistic view of the federal government's ability to have computers fixed before the new millennium."

Rep. Horn's not the Chair of a Y2K oversight body that puts a spotlight on Federal Y2K status; he's just a Republican who "follows" agencies' progress on Y2K, and he's "more optimistic". If a reader is just scanning, they catch this breezy, upbeat tone and move on to other news.

Next paragraph has the goods:

"...he expects 11 agencies will have their millennium computer glitches fixed by the Clinton administration's March 31 deadline, and 20 of the 24 major federal agencies will have their computers fixed by Dec. 31, 1999."

*ahem*

Less than half of the agencies (11 out of 24) are expected to make the adjusted Federal deadline of March 31. Four (count 'em, 4) major federal agencies are going to MISS the absolute drop-dead deadline. And this is based on self-reported data, which by definition is skewed to the positive.

Rep. Horn can only be said to be "more optimistic" because the progress was so dismal up to now. Now it's not dismal, it's merely poor.

-- Mac (sneak@lurk.com), February 22, 1999.