By Natalie Alms, Justin Katz, Adam Mazmanian Mar 12, 2021
President Joe Biden signed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan on Thursday. The new paid leave for federal employees and the $1 billion investment in the Technology Modernization Fund and other tech provisions are now law. The House of Representatives and the Biden administration initially urged $9 billion for the TMF, but the price tag was too steep for many on the Senate side. Eventually, lawmakers on the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee pressed for the $1 billion addition to the fund, which is currently capitalized at $175 million and is funding 10 projects. "We need to do more to move away from outdated systems and invest in technology that is cost-effective, secure, and meets the needs of the American people," Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) told FCW in an emailed statement. "The $1 billion in funding for the Technology Modernization Fund can be used for government agencies to modernize their legacy IT systems, and I urge agencies to use this funding not just for short-term patches, but as part of broader efforts to modernize outdated systems," she said.