President Joe Biden has officially signed the SHARE IT Act (H.R. 9566), a bipartisan piece of legislation designed to improve the federal government’s approach to software development. The new law aims to eliminate wasteful spending by requiring government agencies to share custom-developed software code with each other, reducing duplication and fostering collaboration across the system.
Cutting Unnecessary Costs in Software Development
The SHARE IT Act was introduced to address a significant problem within federal software development: wasted taxpayer dollars. According to lawmakers, the government spends approximately $12 billion each year on software purchases. A key reason for this waste is that agencies often pay contractors to develop software that already exists elsewhere in the federal system. By mandating that custom-developed code be shared among agencies, the bill seeks to eliminate this inefficiency.
Rep. Nicholas Langworthy, R-N.Y., one of the bill’s sponsors, emphasized that “agencies are left operating in silos,” which leads to costly duplication. He noted that agencies often unknowingly fund the creation of software solutions that have already been developed by other agencies, contributing to unnecessary spending.
While the law promotes sharing, it includes exceptions for classified software, national security systems, and code that could pose privacy risks if shared.
Wide Support Across Party Lines
The SHARE IT Act has garnered strong support from both sides of the political aisle. Senators Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Gary Peters, D-Mich., led the charge in the Senate, while Reps. Langworthy and William Timmons, R-S.C., championed it in the House. The bill was approved by both chambers in December with overwhelming bipartisan backing.
In addition to congressional support, the bill received endorsements from industry leaders, including software companies like Atlassian and GitLab Inc. These companies highlighted the bill’s potential to promote innovation and efficiency in the federal government. Atlassian’s General Counsel, Stan Shepard, expressed his company’s belief that sharing custom code would foster greater collaboration across federal agencies, enhancing overall effectiveness.
What the Law Requires from Federal Agencies
Under the SHARE IT Act, federal agencies will be required to ensure that any custom software they develop, whether internally or through contractors, is owned by the government and accessible for other agencies to use. This code could include government websites, apps, or tools used for regulatory purposes.
To facilitate this, agency chief information officers (CIOs) will have 180 days to implement policies that align with the law’s requirements. These policies will need to ensure that custom code follows best practices, that metadata for the code is made publicly available, and that there is a standardized reporting process.
The law specifies that metadata should include details about whether the code was developed under a contract, the contract number, and a link to the repository where the code can be accessed by other agencies.
Building on Previous Initiatives
The SHARE IT Act strengthens a 2016 policy that encouraged agencies to share source code through platforms like code.gov. However, the effectiveness of that policy was limited, as lawmakers noted that it had not been fully implemented. Rep. Langworthy pointed out that “the full potential of that policy has yet to be realized.”
The new law aims to close this gap by making the sharing of custom software code mandatory. It also ensures that agencies have the necessary rights in their contracts to share and modify code as needed. Additionally, the federal CIO will be tasked with providing guidance on implementation and reporting on progress to Congress.
Potential Benefits of Code Sharing
The sponsors of the SHARE IT Act believe that sharing custom code across agencies will lead to significant cost savings and operational efficiencies. By reducing duplication, agencies can better allocate resources and focus on more impactful initiatives. This collaboration is also expected to encourage innovation, as agencies will have access to a broader range of solutions and tools.
Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., highlighted that the new law will help “address inefficiencies, reduce costs, and enable agencies to collaborate more effectively,” ultimately making the government’s software development processes more streamlined and cost-efficient.
