Senate Weighs In On Year 2000 Problem
WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, April 28) -- While admitting it may be too late in some areas, Senate leaders vowed Tuesday to increase their efforts to prevent disastrous computer-system breakdowns on January 1, 2000.
Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) announced Tuesday creation of a "Y2K" [Year 2000] Committee to identify potential problems caused by computers' inabilities to understand the century change.
Sen. Robert Bennett (R-Utah) said there is not enough time anymore to
solve the entire problem, but the committee must prioritize
"mission-critical" functions.
Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) said everyone is affected by government computer systems, from parents to investment planners to senior citizens dependent on their Social Security checks.
Daschle quoted one analysis that predicted adjustments may cost as much as $277 billion, while Citicorp puts its own cost at about $600 million.
Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) said although the national expense would be the equivalent of almost half the cost of the entire Vietnam War, "the clock is ticking on this issue, but this is one ball we can't afford to drop on January 1, 2000."
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