Customer Service. Offices will need to become more selfsufficient as H.I.S. support staff are spread over a wider base.

Internet Access. Offices will look to H.I.S. for software, support, and training to exploit the Internet. H.I.S. cannot ensure that all offices will have optimal backbone network connections for Internet access.

ISIS Implementation. Demand for ISIS access will be limited by H.I.S.'s ability to expand the common "server computer" infrastructure on which its design is based.

District Office Support. Through networking, Members are distributing more work to district staff. H.I.S. resources for supporting remote users are extremely limited. Support Office Systems. House support offices require systems improvements that will tax H.I.S. resources. MicroMin Modernization. Redesign is needed to make this system work up to its potential in the Washington-district network mode.

II. OBJECTIVES AND INITIATIVES

FY 95 PROGRAM

The proposed budget will sustain current H.I.S. services and allow continuation of a multi-year program instituted to upgrade the data communication, computing and information infrastructure needed by Members and Committees. The focus of the following discussion is to provide an understanding of H.I.S.'s plans and objectives for FY 95. Appendix B outlines the breadth and depth of the baseline of systems and services provided to House offices by H.I.S. Appendix C contains narrative highlights of H.I.S. accomplishments during FY 93. The two taken together provide the background for the proposed budget.

H.I.S. Roles and Responsibilities.

H.I.S. has two roles. First, it is a service provider responding to and anticipating the specific information system and support needs of Members, Committees and Officers. Second, H.I.S. provides an infrastructure of shareable databases and networks.

As House offices have increasingly turned to computers and networks to improve their operations, H.I.S.'s responsibilities have grown as well. Virtually every office and operation in the House now make use of the "invisible services provided by H.I.S. on which House Members and staff have come to rely.

H.I.S. has two main responsibilities. The first is to protect the reliability and maintain the performance and capacity of the computers, networks, and related services on which the House depends for its day-to-day operations. The second is to seek additional improvements through technology.

these responsibilities is explained below.

How H.I.S. supports

MAINTENANCE AND EXPANSION OF CURRENT SERVICES

In FY 95, H.I.S. needs to address the following objectives.

Improve and expand customer service.

An increasing portion

of H.I.S. resources will be devoted to customer service.
This will include hardware, software, and training materials
to improve the efficiency and productivity of customer
service operations.

Expand network capacities and subscribership. The use of
data communication networks is the fastest growing area of
H.I.S. operations. The main capacity improvements needed
are (1) installation of more FDDI network routers both to
divert traffic growth from the near-saturated Ethernet
network and to provide each office with secure access to the
outside world via the Internet; (2) acquisition of
additional frame relay equipment so that additional offices
will be able to integrate their Washington and district
networks; (3) acquisition of additional equipment to allow
more Committees to establish private local area networks.
Expand ISIS facilities and subscribership. Additional
server computers and software licenses will be required to
respond to the expected demand from Member and Committee
offices for access to the ISIS system.

Upgrade of the MicroMIN system. Once state-of-the-art,
MicroMIN needs to be modernized so that it will work
effectively with the more powerful PCs now available and can
be used more efficiently in district offices.

SERVICES AND INITIATIVES

In addition to expanding the capacity and usage of the current baseline. H.I.S. proposes to continue the following initiatives.

Expand Internet access. In addition to providing Members
and Committees with assistance in accessing the Internet,
H.I S will provide computer and software facilities which
Members and Committees can use to establish bulletin boards,

electronic discussion forums, and document archives which they can provide to constituents and/or the general public. Expand ISIS capabilities. In addition to expanding the availability of ISIS, H.I.S. proposes to extend its capabilities by expanding the range of information and features available.

Public Access to House information.

In FY 94, H.I.S. will

establish on a test basis an information server on the Internet through which the general public will be able to electronically access such Congressional information as directed by the Committee.

It is proposed that databases of

interest to the public, such as the Text of Legislation, be made available.

Develop CD-ROM capabilities.

H.I.S. proposes to expand its

own capability in CD-ROM and imaging technologies so it can offer success similar to that of the Law Revision Counsel in publishing the U.S. Code on CD-ROM to other offices with publishing responsibilities and to better equip itself to support Member and Committee offices in their use of information available via CD-ROM.

78-0560-94-3

APPENDIX A

HOUSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS

ORGANIZATION AND STAFFING

ORGANIZATION. House Information Systems is comprised of six line organizations and a Director's Office, which manages

organization-wide technical and administrative support. Although each division has a defined mission and responsibilities, multidivisional task forces are frequently used to pool the best available talent to meet House priorities.

The chart below depicts the overall organization and staffing allocations. The mission and staffing allocations for each of the line organizations are presented on the following pages.