roundtable: SIGN-ON LETTER and Update on NTIA Funding 9-19

roundtable: SIGN-ON LETTER & Update on NTIA Funding 9/19

SIGN-ON LETTER & Update on NTIA Funding 9/19

Patrice McDermott (patricem@rtk.net)
Wed, 20 Sep 95 09:23:13 EDT 

Date: Wed, 20 Sep 95 09:23:13 EDT
From: Patrice McDermott <patricem@rtk.net>
Subject: SIGN-ON LETTER & Update on NTIA Funding 9/19 
To: Indigenous Environmental Network <ien@igc.apc.org>, pfh@NPTN.ORG,
Message-Id: <Chameleon.950920104823.patrice@patrice.rtknet.org>


1) AN UPDATE FROM NTIA

2) A SIGN-ON LETTER--Respond to JILL LESSER at 202-467-2308
-------------------------------------
Patrice McDermott
patricem@rtk.net
OMB Watch
1742 Connecticut Ave. N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20009
202-234-8494; Fax: 202-234-8584
Date: 09/20/95   Time: 09:23:13 EDT

-------------------------------------

1) On Tue, 19 Sep 1995 18:47:54 -0400  DGARDNER@ntia.doc.gov wrote:
> 
> Today, during consideration of legislation to dismantle the Commerce
> Department,  the House Commerce Committee adopted an amendment
> offered by Representative Markey to keep NTIA's domestic, international,
> spectrum and research functions together in a newly created United
> States Trade Administration.    Until the Markey amendment was adopted,
> the Committee had proposed elimination of NTIA and the transfer of its
> spectrum functions to the U.S. Treasury, and its international functions 
> to a new Trade Administration .  
>
> The status of NTIA's Institute for Telecommunication Sciences is unclear. 
> While the Committee bill privatizes the lab after 18 months, the Markey
> amendment sends standards and research activities to the Trade
> Administration.  
>
> The Committee did not restore funding to the grant programs (the
> Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Assistance
> Program--TIIAP, the Public Telecommunications Facilities Program--PTFP,
> and the National Endowment for Children's Educational
> Television--NECET).  Another Markey amendment to restore PTFP and
> NECET was defeated by a vote of 20 to 19.
>
> On a related note, the Senate has pushed back floor consideration of the
> Commerce, Justice, State Appropriations bill to Friday and Saturday,
> September 29-30.  NTIA appropriations will be considered as a part of
> this legislation.  At that point, Senator Bob Kerrey may offer an
> amendment to restore funding for TIIAP as part of the Commerce
> Appropriations bill.  PTFP is already funded for $10 million in that
> measure.
>
> If you have any questions about these legislative developments, feel free
> to e-mail me at dgardner@ntia.doc.gov or call at 202/482-5893.
>
> Thank you,
>
> David Gardner
> NTIA

2)  The following is a letter to go to all members of the Senate.  It 
is important that any organization that cares about ensuring access to 
advanced telecommunications for their communities weigh in.

YOUR ANSWER IS NEEDED BY WEDNESDAY EVENING, SEP 20.--to JILL LESSER, 
202-467-2308.  Please, whether your organization signs on to this 
letter on not, send your own letter of support for Sen. Kerrey's 
amendment.


Dear Senator:

     We write on behalf of a diverse coalition of education, library, 
arts, civil liberties and other civic organizations to urge you to 
vote for the Amendment to restore $18.9 million of funding for the 
Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Assistance Program 
(TIIAP) to be offered by Senator Bob Kerrey (D-NE) to the Senate 
Appropriations bill for Commerce, Justice, State and the Judiciary 
(H.R.2076).

     TIIAP, a program administered by the National Telecommunications 
and Information Administration (NTIA), matches private contributions with 
government funds to promote the development and widespread availability of 
advanced telecommunications technologies. Through TIIAP projects, people 
that may not otherwise have the means or opportunity -- like citizens in 
rural and low income areas -- are able to tap into the wealth of 
information that is accessible via advanced telecommunications 
technologies. TIIAP dollars are also used to purchase equipment for 
connection to communications networks such as the Internet, train people 
in the use of equipment and software, and to purchase telephone links and 
access to commercial on-line services.

     Resources such as the Internet play an increasing role in many 
facets of the lives of all Americans. Schoolchildren are able to 
benefit from a wealth of educational information not otherwise available 
to them. Citizens are able to engage in an active discussion of public 
issues. And Americans in rural areas are able to access health 
care-related and other important information with having to travel far 
distances. To fully realize the benefits of advanced technologies, 
however, every American must have the opportunity to access these 
resources. The types of projects that TIIAP funds support help to 
realize this goal by extending advanced telecommunications capabilities, 
in conjunction with the private sector, to people and places that would 
otherwise be left out.

     Recipients of the grants have included local governments, 
universities, schools, and libraries.  Listed below are just a few examples 
of how TIIAP has helped these groups utilize telecommunications systems for 
education, community development and ultimately economic empowerment:

     o The University of Oregon, along with fifteen other educational, 
governmental, health care, community and industrial partners, has received 
funds for equipment necessary to complete construction of the Lane 
Education Network. This Network will be fully accessible by the community, 
and will be the conduit for such educational programs as network mentoring 
among high schools and on-line training.

     o In West Virginia, TIIAP funds served to help complete a computer 
network infrastructure at the College of Human Resources and Education at 
West Virginia University. This network would provide the Professional 
Development Schools with access to the Internet, as well as allow the 
College of Human Resources to provide information via the Internet on 
professional development for teachers.

     o In Montana, TIIAP funds have helped permit the Hall Elementary 
School District to install the town's first Internet connection in the 
school building which will give the entire town and the students access 
to Montana statewide information, as well as national services.

     In times of significant budget cutting, TIIAP provides the seeds 
to help forge partnerships with the private sector to ensure that 
telecommunications technologies live up to their potential to enhance 
education, library services, health care, community services, civic 
participation and much more.

     We urge you to support the Kerrey Amendment to H.R. 2076 and 
restore partial funding to the TIIAP program for fiscal year 1996.

Very truly yours,
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