Senator Roth Seeks Added Funds for IRS Year 2000Fix
April 24, 1998
Dow Jones Newswires
WASHINGTON -- Concerned about the Internal Revenue
Service's ability to upgrade computer systems
before the year 2000, one lawmaker is seeking an
additional $50 million or more for the agency.
'My understanding is that the IRS requires an
additional $63.2 million in fiscal year 1998 to
upgrade their computer systems to address the year
2000 problem,' said Senate Finance Committee
chairman William Roth, R-Del.
The IRS will need another $36.6 million in fiscal
1999 to continue retooling its computers to
recognize the year 2000, Roth added.
In an April 23 letter to Senate Appropriations
Committee chairman Ted Stevens, R-Al., Roth
requested $50 million of funds that he understands
has been appropriated for the IRS since fiscal
1993, but never spent.
'I appreciate your willingness to look into this
funding matter and urge that these additional
monies be made available to the IRS as soon as
possible,' Roth wrote.
Like other organizations, the IRS is working
furiously to revamp its computers to recognize the
year 2000. Many older systems use two digits to
identify years, which could wreak havoc when the
century ends, as computers may interpret '00' as
1900, not 2000.
Roth said the IRS is 'working diligently' on the
job, but added that he is concerned whether it has
sufficient resources to finish the task.
-Judith Burns; 202-862-9285
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