Gore's New Invention: E-Gov't 
Reuters 

3:00 p.m. Jun. 5, 2000 PDT 
RALEIGH, North Carolina -- Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore
proposed Monday putting all federal agencies
online to create an e-government that would link the American people to U.S.
services and data via the Internet. 

Gore said he wants people to get online -- not stand in line -- and use
technology to establish a government that works better, costs less and is
more relevant. 

"Together we will transform America's collection of ramshackle bureaucracies
into an 'e-government' that works for
you," the vice president said in a campaign speech at North Carolina State
University's Centennial campus. 

Gore proposed that all federal agencies be required to put their services
online by 2003 so people could instantly
obtain a bevy of federal data -- ranging from the purity of drinking water
to the quality of a nursing home to the
amount of a pending Social Security check. 

Using the Internet, they could also apply for federal aid, and even bid on
government work or old equipment up for
auction. 

As a senator, Gore was a leading proponent of research that helped lead to
the Internet. Yet the vice president
opened himself to ridicule last year when he seemed to claim in an interview
that he helped invent the Internet.
He later admitted he misspoke. 

On Monday, the vice president sought to look ahead. 

"Imagine being able to call up in a blink of an eye a list of every health
plan in your area, to judge for yourself
which offered the best quality care," Gore said. 

"Imagine if a child in the poor neighborhood could have access to the
richest educational materials and most
illustrious museums," he said. 


Aides said it would cost an estimated $100 million to get all federal
agencies online, but would save several times
that in reduced costs as the result of increased efficiencies and less
paperwork. 

In recent years, some agencies have begun to put some of their data for
public consumption on the Internet, and
the Internal Revenue Service began to let people file their taxes on the
Internet. 

"This would take (use of the Internet by federal agencies) to a new level,"
Gore said in an interview later Monday
with Reuters. "Right now it is spotty." 

The vice president said his proposal would allow members of the public to
avoid long waits for service and
effectively "put everyone in the front of the line." 

Under Gore's proposal, the government would work in partnership with the
private sector to provide "a free digital
key" to any citizen who wants to connect with the government online. 

In addition to putting its services online, federal agencies would be
required to post progress reports on various
problems and issues. 

This, in turn, would allow persons to respond with questions, criticisms,
and solutions of their own, creating what
Gore said would be "an 'Information Age' town square." 

In addition, his plan would create a new online auction "g-bay" site to sell
off equipment that the government no
longer needs. 

Gore offered the Internet proposal as his campaign stayed on a new and more
positive course, one devoid of any
criticism or even mention of Republican foe George W. Bush. 

The vice president began this approach about a week ago after some Democrats
complained about what had been
his daily attacks against the Texas governor, saying Gore should focus
instead on offering his own vision for a
better America. 

Copyright © 1999-2000 Reuters Limited. 


Related Wired Links: 

Gore Drives Green Cars 
Mar. 31, 2000 

Demos Avoid the 'T Word' 
Feb. 14, 2000 

McCain, Bradley In Lead (on Web) 
Jan. 21, 2000 

Vote for Me Dot Com 
Jan. 20, 2000 



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