Statistics indicate that government is spending more on procurement, especially for the military. Vice President Cheney voices his administration’s commitment to making the R&D tax credit permanent, and President Bush considers a future switch for government to e-procurement. Also, read how the Department of Defense may help with California’s energy problems:

A new statistics report from the Census Bureau indicates that the government increased its annual procurement spending by 7.3% over the course of 2000. This increase stands as one of the largest in all spending categories, with military spending accounting for the lion’s share ($134 billion), or more than 60% of the $223 billion total the government shelled out last year. The statistic comes as little surprise as the Defense Department has a trend of steadily increasing its spending each year over the past decade.

Concerning an Internet Access Tax, the Bush Administration has made it clear that it supports a permanent ban on such measures and has asked Congress to approve its decision to enact a ban by the end of the year. Vice President, Dick Cheney, additionally stated that his administration “will increase defense and R & D spending by 6%” in hopes of boosting the government’s commitment to R & D to a record high. Cheney also expressed being in favor of making the research-and-development tax credit permanent. He did mentioned that the President has given his support to making online procurement the standard for government as of the year 2003.

Earlier this month, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld declared that the Department of Defense would be putting into effect an initiative aimed at easing California’s current energy problems. He explained that the idea to decrease the department’s demand of power from the electricity grid – currently about 1% of the total draw – by relying on conversation techniques, energy efficient investments and even non-fossil fuel energies such as wind power fuel cells and photovoltaic arrays. Announcing the initiative, the Secretary of Defense stated “As one of its largest consumers of electricity, we intend to do our part to mitigate the electricity shortage.” The amount of power that the initiative is projected to make 200 megawatts available for other users.

Sources: Cheney Backs Net Access Tax Ban, More R & D Spending
Nancy Weill
Computerworld, April 19, 2001
http://www.computerworld.com/cwi/story/0,1199,NAV47_STO59774,00.html

Report Shows Procurement Spending on the Rise
Tanya N. Ballard
Government Executive Magazine, April 24, 2001
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0401/042401t1.htm

Defense Unveils Plan to Reduce Electricity Demand in California
U.S. Government Agency News
About.com, May 3, 2001
http://usgovinfo.about.com/newsissues/usgovinfo/blagencyrelease03.htm?terms=california