Johanns Attempts To Attach 1099 Repeal to SBA Bill

A look at the week of March 14 in public advocacy for the IT channel  

This week, Sen. Mike Johanns (R-NE) will try to pass 1099 repeal legislation as part of an authorization bill to fund the Small Business Administration (SBA).  Industry groups are urging the government to forgo cybersecurity legislation in favor of public-private incentives and cooperation.  New studies on implementing electronic health information systems suggest that the technology benefits healthcare professionals.

Johanns Tries to Attach 1099 Repeal to SBA Bill — Sen. Mike Johanns (R-NE) is confident he has enough votes to tack on a repeal of the 1099 tax provision to a small business bill under consideration in the Senate, says The Hill.  Johanns, who has been pressing for months to eliminate the provision, will offer the House-passed 1099 repeal legislation when the Senate begins considering an authorization bill to fund the SBA for 2011. 

IT Industry Wants Government Incentives for Cybersecurity — A coalition of IT industry groups, including the Business Software Alliance, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Internet Security Alliance, Tech America and the Center for Democracy & Technology, has urged the federal government to avoid regulating private sector cybersecurity and instead work on public-private partnerships that boost the field.  Federal officials increasingly have questioned the ability of the industry to protect itself against cyber threats, says FierceGovernmentIT.  According to a white paper written by the groups, the government should provide incentives, information sharing and other forms of cooperation instead of regulation.

Study Shows Healthcare IT Efforts Worthwhile — A recent government study has found that the daunting task of implementing electronic healthcare information systems across the country may not be a lost cause, reports National Journal. Researchers with the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology reviewed 154 healthcare IT studies and learned that 92 percent reported positive effects on access to care, patient satisfaction, efficiency and effectiveness of care.