Obama's budget shifts IT spending

President Obama's detailed federal budget for 2010 was released last week, and it outlines more details on how he wants to spend government money on information technology. Don't be worried. There's plenty to go around. But there are new priorities, which means additional spending in some places, and less in others.

Among the high points: The budget calls for $400 million in cybersecurity spending for the Department of Homeland Security, $1.3 billion in new broadband spending and more money for a smart energy grid and health care information technology.

The Defense Department budget includes $57.2 billion for communications and mission support systems and $10.5 billion for Command, Control, Communications and Computer Systems. But other DoD programs would see spending cuts, including a $52 million reduction on the Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio effort, and a $311 million cut on a battlefield network effort called the Warfighter Information Network-Tactical.

Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security will get $400 million to protect critical infrastructure. The budget also calls for $71 million in new spending for Immigrations and Customs Enforcement IT, another DHS agency.

It will take months before details of the president's budget are hammered out. In the meantime, federal agencies are still trying to figure out how to spend the money they have right now without charging too much to the future or ignoring essential IT to keep the government on its toes.

For more on Obama's IT budget:
- check out this Information Week article