Continuing Resolutions Mean Continuing Change

On July 31^st Congressional leaders announced a deal for a six-month bill to fund the federal government, thereby removing the possibility of a government shutdown.  The current funding for federal agencies is due to expire at the end of September.

What does this mean for our future, and what does it mean for Federal Records Management?  It means business as usual.  Agencies will continue to receive funding into the next calendar year.  They can continue working on projects that are on-going, and focus on providing services for all Americans.

However, these days business as usual means change as usual.  There is a new focus on Federal Records Management.  Any day now we are expecting a directive on federal records management, the results of the Presidential Memorandum – Managing Government Records.  We’re not sure what will be in the directive, but it will change the way that federal agencies work.

Furthermore, we are still focused on the Federal Data Center Consolidation Initiative, which is requiring a shutdown of over 1,000 data centers by 2015. In addition, we have a new Digital Government Strategy, which is focusing our government on systems architecture, establishing some best practices, and collaborating across agencies.  On top of all of that, federal agencies are struggling to make the most of out of big data.

Our new norm, our steady state, is change.  It helps that federal agencies will have funds to continue change through the end of the calendar year.  We have a lot to do, and we must keep forging ahead and continue our efforts.

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