Senate Proposes $1 Billion IT Security Fund in $20 Billion Stimulus

A $20 billion stimulus package in the works by Senate Democrats may include $1 billion to bankroll an information-technology fund, CNET News.com has learned. As proposed by Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., the U.S. Office of Management and Budget would administer . . . A $20 billion stimulus package in the works by Senate Democrats may include $1 billion to bankroll an information-technology fund, CNET News.com has learned. As proposed by Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., the U.S. Office of Management and Budget would administer the fund and award money to projects that aim to further protect the United States' critical infrastructures, improve the security of government computer systems, or harden the nation's defenses against natural and manmade threats.

Leslie Phillips, communications director for the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee--headed by Lieberman--confirmed the fund is likely to be part of the economic stimulus proposal being created by Democratic senators.

"Lieberman wants to see the economic stimulus put to good use, and there is no better use than bolstering our homeland defense through an IT Fund," she said in an e-mail interview.

The link for this article located at ZDNet News is no longer available.