Federal websites might be unattended or go dark during furloughs—Federal Computer Week

With a possible government shutdown looming, many questions arose today about the fate of federal websites. Would agency and departmental websites remain live online, would they be maintained and secured, would they go dark, or some combination of those situations?

A small price for transparency—The Roanoke Times

So far in the 2011 budget year, the federal government has spent $22 billion in Virginia. Defense giant Northrop Grumman alone took in $787 million in the commonwealth. The Virginia Department of Education received $153 million. How do we know that? It is public information. The federal government provides spending data online at usaspending.gov, data.gov and other sites. Citizens can find out in tremendous detail how their tax dollars are spent. At least they can now. Those resources are in peril.

Transparency websites hit by budget ax—Government Executive.com Blog

Government transparency websites likely will be scaled back or even eliminated as a result of a 75 percent budget cut that congressional leaders and the White House agreed to last week.

Data.gov et al. Budget Slashed by 75%—ReadWrite Web

Federal government transparency programs, including data resource directory Data.gov, face across-the-board budget cuts by 75% in the latest version of the federal budget to emerge from Congressional negotiations. According to the Sunlight Foundation, an independent transparency watchdog organization, the "electronic government fund" faces cuts from a $34 million budget down to $8 million.

Spending bill to prevent shutdown and furloughs targets IT programs—Federal Computer Week

The bill would prevent a government shutdown, assure agencies money, and provide funds for defense spending. IT is taking a hard hit in the newly proposed continuing resolution that House appropriators released April 12, the agreement that provides funding through the end of fiscal 2011 and prevents -- for now -- a government shutdown. The cuts represent decreases compared to fiscal 2010 spending and to President Barack Obama's fiscal 2011 budget request.

E-government funds slashed in newly-introduced budget—Fierce Government IT

The General Services Administration's electronic government fund will be slashed under the presumptive fiscal 2011 budget, introduced April 11 into the House as H.R. 1473 (.pdf). The House now has three days to approve the legislation before it moves to the Senate for passage.

Six-month budget slashes e-gov fund by 76 percent—Federal News Radio

Among the cuts agreed to by lawmakers and President Obama in last Friday's 11th-hour budget compromise to avert a budget shutdown is a dramatic reduction in the administration's E-Government fund, which pays for open government websites such as Data.gov, the IT Dashboard and USASpending.gov.

Data.gov Clarity—Sunlight Foundation Blog

House member says he can save feds' transparency websites—Federal Computer Week

Open-government advocate Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, thinks feds won't have to pull the plug on websites such as Data.gov, USASpending.gov, the IT Dashboard and other federal programs that promote transparency, reports Federal News Radio.

GSA Provides Easier Public Access to Federal Advisory Committee Information—GSA Press Release

Supporting President Barack Obama’s directive for an open and transparent government, the U.S. General Services Administration today announced that it has launched a new website, www.gsa.gov/efaca, making 10 years of federal advisory committee information easily accessible to the public. Federal advisory committees are committees, boards, commissions, or similar groups established by statute, the president, or agency officials to formulate advice or recommendations on issues or policies within the scope of an agency’s responsibilities.

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