APPENDIX A: HOUSE PLANS
(Information submitted by HIR)

Plans for Retirement of MIN and ISIS

In fulfilling the Committee's mandate to retire MIN and ISIS by porting the data and functionality to a World Wide Web browser environment, H.I.R. will leverage its investment in these systems. H.I.R. is currently working on an overall strategy to retire MIN and ISIS services and identify migration paths to new services. The strategy involves developing and delivering services in an incremental effort, over the coming year. H.I.R. has already developed a pilot Web-based access to all of its Newswire and Periodical services. Additionally, a House Votes service has been developed and linked with extensive Bill information. The House Votes service accesses H.I.R. data sources and is linked with the Congressional Record and Full Text of Legislation in the Library of Congress THOMAS Web system. H.I.R. will continue to migrate MIN and ISIS services which can be quickly and effectively implemented via the Web. These services may not be the final answer, and as new efforts come on line, these services would merge with the new ones, or be entirely replaced by the new ones if appropriate. H.I.R. is taking this approach, because it can immediately meet the Committee on House Oversight mandates.

The CyberCongress

At the start of the 104th Congress, a vision was established for a CyberCongress - a shift to a new third wave paradigm built on communication, networking, and computing technologies. The essence of the vision is to remove restrictions of time and space for Members, committees and staff allowing them the flexibility to perform their work at the best time and best place. At the same time and using the same technologies, timely access to House information and activities would be available.

This vision manifests itself in three areas: legislative process, constituent participation, and staff support. Key elements are:

Legislative Process

• Focused, more productive Legislative Branch information research programs, for example:
  • Time-sensitive legislative information such as amendment text, text of rules, and reports accompanying bills will be made accessible almost immediately.
  • The World Wide Web "hypertext" model will be applied to legislative data allowing Members to easily navigate and drill down to the information they need.

• Enhanced Communication among Members and staff - office, district and home, for example:
  • Universal in-boxes can be implemented allowing access to voice, E-Mail and fax messages from any location or device.
  • Workstations with built-in video-conferencing capabilities will allow Members to meet with each other, with constituents, and with staff; in Washington, at district offices and at home or remote locations when necessary.

• Electronic decision support systems for Members, committees and staff, for example:
  • Whip counts can be taken quickly and completely using messaging-based groupware products, two-way pagers and other devices available now.
  • Electronic decision support facilities for committee 'brainstorming' sessions.

Constituent Participation

• Relocation of work and staff to the district, closer to the constituents.
• Convenient public access to the House via the Internet.
• Constituent participation through E-Mail, Home Pages, and electronic town meetings and surveys combining the Internet and C-SPAN in unique ways and with minimal effort.

Staff Support

• Tracking of events, initiatives, commitments and staff assignments.
• Interactive multi-media based legislative and administrative training, and education at the time and place that meets the individual's needs, for example:
  • New staffers will receive an individual multimedia training package tailored to their job and information requirements for use as both a tutorial and a reference.

• Paperless, workflow-directed office procedures, e.g., vouchers, service requests, even constituent correspondence, for example:
  • Payroll transactions will be initiated electronically, authorized by "electronic signatures" and delivered, processed, and confirmed very rapidly via workflow technology.

H.I.R. is taking an aggressive approach to achieving the objectives defined for the CyberCongress. As part of this effort, H.I.R has taken actions to improve the technology infrastructure, worked to help implement the new Equipment Purchase Guidelines, and assisted the Computer and Information Systems Working Group in the evaluation and recommendation of a House messaging system.

One important aspect of a new Congressional Legislative Information System is the necessary technical infrastructure to support the demands and desired capabilities of the system. H.I.R. is involved in a number of initiatives to improve the technology infrastructure of the House. The Committee on Appropriations has authorized funds to upgrade the House communications infrastructure. This will involve updating the campus wiring plan, upgrading the telecommunications hardware, expanding the remote access capability, and enhancing the equipment to support the data communications environment. These actions are necessary to sustain the expected growth in the use of existing voice and data communications facilities and complex network applications. Implementation of these projects has begun and will continue through the next two years. These funds also provide a wide area data communication line in one district office of every Member.

At the same time, the Committee on Appropriations has made funds available for the procurement of desk top hardware to improve the operations of administrative and support offices of the CAO and to establish a uniform platform for implementing paperless financial and administrative operations. This funding will also provide one personal computer for each House office to assure that no office is restricted in its access to these improved services. Deployment of the systems has begun in H.I.R. and other CAO offices, with efforts by H.I.R. to standardize the workstations, servers, printers, and software. Deployment of the personal computers for each House office will begin in March, 1996, and proceed throughout the summer. While offices will be able to utilize these computers for multiple functions, the primary use of these computers will be for research, administrative, and financial services being implemented by H.I.R. and the Committee on House Oversight. H.I.R. staff is working with the Committee on House Oversight and Focus groups of House staff to select and prioritize applications.

Also, as part of improving the infrastructure and controlling the costs of technical support, on May 10, 1995, the Committee on House Oversight passed the Guidelines for the Purchase of Software, Computers, and Related Equipment. These guidelines provide direction to House offices for obtaining not only office automation products but technical support services as well. The Guidelines define the role of H.I.R. as technical consultant to House offices and places new commitments on H.I.R. for identifying requirements for hardware and software purchases. H.I.R. worked closely with the Committee on House Oversight, the Office of Procurement and Purchasing, House offices and vendors to develop procedures and practices to implement the Guidelines on October 1, 1995.

Another key component of modern information systems is messaging services. H.I.R. participated with the Committee on House Oversight's Computer and Information Systems Working Group in evaluating messaging products for potential use by the House. After an extensive process that included negotiation with House staff and vendors, the Group recommended that the House proceed with a "Proof of Concept" test period for Microsoft Exchange. On November 15, 1995 the Committee on House Oversight approved this proposal. The test period will take approximately 4 months, and if successful, the House will be able to operate a single messaging service that offers the foundation for development of other enterprise-wide capabilities.

The Proof of Concept plan is a top priority for H.I.R. and will draw upon resources throughout the organization as well as other House offices. The test period will evaluate technical capabilities, establish design and implementation parameters, and identify a House-wide training program. Full deployment of this service is scheduled for completion by fourth quarter 1996. Once implemented, this service will provide the medium through which offices can easily exchange not only messages with attached and/or embedded documents, but also fax messages, telephone messages, scheduling information, news bulletins, administrative forms, and even conference and discussion information.

With the introduction of new technology and systems and with the high turnover rate of staff in House offices, regardless how easy to use or learn a system is, there is a large need for training. H.I.R. believes this is a critical element of our user support plan, and is working to identify and deliver training services beyond the traditional classroom instruction approach. H.I.R. is building a strategic training plan that will incorporate multi-media and distance learning elements. H.I.R.'s goal is to offer a variety of training media that is timely and meets the needs of both Members and staff.

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