Modernizing Government

This afternoon, I will participate in the White House Forum on Modernizing Government. More than 50 of the nation’s leading CEOS are attending today’s forum, bringing their ideas for how the government can use technology to save money and improve performance. 

Chief Performance Officer Jeff Zients, a key member of our OMB team, has been focused on making government more effective and efficient by closing the technology gap between the public and private sectors. Zients has been working together with Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra on getting a better return on the government’s technology spending. This is not just about cool gadgets and launching new websites— information technology has the power to transform how government works, and revolutionize the ease, convenience, and effectiveness by which it serves the American people. 

Twenty years ago, people who came to work in the federal government had better technology at work than at home. Today, that’s no longer the case. The American people deserve better service from their government, and better return for their tax dollars. This forum is part of our efforts to modernize government and bring us into the 21st century.

Tomorrow, the White House will seek ideas from the public about how government can improve its use of technology at obamawhitehouse.archives.gov. I encourage everyone to contribute their ideas on how to make government perform better and help us deliver on the President’s commitment to change how business is done in Washington.

Peter Orszag is Director of the Office of Management and Budget