roundtable: NTIA Update

roundtable: NTIA Update

NTIA Update

DGARDNER@ntia.doc.gov
Fri, 25 Aug 1995 16:49:11 -0400 

Message-Id: <s03dff6d.027@ntia.doc.gov>
Date: Fri, 25 Aug 1995 16:49:11 -0400
From: DGARDNER@ntia.doc.gov
To: roundtable@cni.org
Subject:  NTIA Update

 
NTIA Update

Room 4892, HCH Building, Washington, DC  20230; Voice 202.482.1835,
Fax 202.482.0979, E-mail: dgardner@ntia.doc.gov

Friday, August 25       A summary of NTIA and NII events and news

NTIA Speaks...

Larry Irving       Aug. 26-29
Speaks at Australian American Education Leadership Foundation 
(Sydney and Canberra, Australia)
 
Don Druker         Aug. 29-Sept. 3
Speaks at Society of American Archivist Meeting on the NII
(Washington, DC)

Michele Farquhar   Sept. 14
Bernadette McGuire-Rivera
Participate in the National Teleconference on Sustainable Communities
(Washington, DC)



Event Schedule

Sept. 11
First meeting of the Public Safety Wireless Advisory Council
(Washington, DC)

Sept. 11-12
U.S.- China Bilateral Telecom. Consultations
(Hangzhou, China)

Sept. 21-22
U.S.-France Bilateral Telecom. Consultations
(Paris, France)
 


Quotable...


By the year 2000, 60% of the new jobs will require skills held by only
20% of the existing population.

Business Week


NTIA On-Line

NTIA's on-line resources include: dial-up access: 202. 482.1199 at
speeds up to 14,400 baud.  Internet access points:
http://www.ntia.doc.gov,
ftp.ntia.doc.gov, and  gopher.ntia.doc. gov.


Irving Holds Briefing on Federal Govt. Spectrum Use

Last Thursday, Assistant Commerce Secretary Larry Irving held a press
briefing on the Federal government's use and management of spectrum
that featured members of the Interdepartment Radio Advisory Committee
(IRAC).  "NTIA is working with our colleagues throughout the Federal
government to promote the most efficient use of spectrum in order to
make more spectrum available for private industries to use, thereby
creating jobs and economic opportunity for Americans," said Irving. 
Irving pointed to the 235 MHz of Federal spectrum that NTIA recently
identified for reallocation to private industry.  "235 MHz represents a lot
of spaces -- today's entire cellular telephone industry occupies only 50
MHz," commented Irving.  He also provided statistics that show that only
1.42% of the spectrum is allocated to the Federal government's exclusive
use, while 5.52% is dedicated to private sector use, and 93% to shared
use between the Federal government and private use.

Irving and IRAC members from the FAA, the Defense Department and the
Agriculture Department attested to the importance of using Federal
government spectrum for air-traffic safety, disaster relief, and command
of our military forces.  In response to Congressional calls to transfer
Federal spectrum management to the FCC, Irving said that this "would
raise serious separation of power issues."  At the briefing, NTIA
released a report entitled Federal Spectrum Management: How the
Federal Government Uses and Manages Spectrum, which describes
Federal use, management, and regulation of the spectrum.  NTIA also
released "Myths vs. Realities for Federal Government Spectrum Use" that
addresses NTIA's role in Federal spectrum management. For more
information, contact the Spectrum Openness Program at 202/482-3999. 


Congress to Debate Appropriations for NTIA, DoC

Several Congressional committees will consider various legislative
proposals regarding future appropriations for the Commerce Department
and NTIA in hearings and markups next month.  Last month, the House
passed the FY 1996 Commerce, Justice, State Appropriations bill (H.R.
2076) that, among other things, provides NTIA with a FY 1996 budget of
$78.7 million, a decrease of $22.7 from the FY 1995 level.  The week of
September 5 is expected to include action by the Senate Commerce,
Justice, State Appropriations Subcommittee on the FY 1996
appropriations level for programs under its jurisdiction.  Also expected
during the week of September 5 is a hearing on downsizing the
Commerce Department in the House Subcommittee on Management,
Information, and Technology; and a markup of the Commerce Department
Termination and Government Reorganization Act of 1995 in the Senate
Governmental Affairs Committee.  For more information on legislative
proposals impacting NTIA, please contact Jim Wasilewski at
202/482-1551.


Recent Documents Released By NTIA

In addition to the above-mentioned documents addressing NTIA's role in
Federal government spectrum management, NTIA recently has released
several documents and reports.  NTIA's Fact Sheet and "Myths vs.
Realities" document respond to questions concerning NTIA's role as
principal advisor to the President for telecommunications and information
policy and in the development of the National and Global Information
Infrastructure.  NTIA also continues to make the following reports
available:  "Falling Through the Net," "Connecting the Nation," and "Capital
Formation and Investment in Minority Business Enterprises in the
Telecommunications Industries."  These and other NTIA reports and
documents are available electronically (see bottom left corner of this
page for instructions) or in print by calling Janice Robinson at
202/482-0516.


David Gardner
<dgardner@ntia.doc.gov>

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