Rep. Russell’s Software Savings Bill Headed to White House

repsteverussell3Congressman Steve Russell’s bill called the “Making Electronic Government Accountable by Yielding Tangible Efficiencies Act” was passed by the Senate and sent to the President’s desk.

It’s a measure that Rep. Russell contends will save American taxpayers more than $4 billion a year. He and Pennsylvania Congressman Matt Cartwright (D) introduced the measure in June and it quickly passed the U.S. House on a voice vote. The measure forces federal agencies to share software and reforms the way those agencies buy and share software. As Congressman Russell learned, some federal agencies buy software licenses in block and many go unused.

“The MEGABYTE Act is proof you can work the common ground in a bipartisan fashion and make needed reforms that can save billions of dollars,” said Rep. Russell.

Rep. Cartwright called it the first “in a series of steps we can take to minimize wasteful software spending and to promote the efficient procurement of technology.”

As OK Energy Today reported in June, Russell’s review found that by sharing the licenses, scrutinizing unused portions and accounting for their distribution, the government could save $181 million tax dollars per agency.