The TIIAP Program (The Telecommunications Information Infrastructure
Assistance Program) remains in jeopardy.  Please consider signing on to the
following letter by contacting Jill Lesser of People for The American Way
(contact info listed below.)

Diane Zorich
MCN Government Affairs Liaison

__________________FORWARD ________________________________
>>From: [log in to unmask] (Jill Lesser)
>>To: [log in to unmask] ('smtp:[log in to unmask]),
>>        [log in to unmask] ('smtp:[log in to unmask])
>>Mime-Version: 1.0
>>Organization: People For the American Way
>>Date: Wed, 14 Aug 1996 17:08:25 -0400
>>Subject: TIIAP Funding
>>Sender: [log in to unmask]
>>Precedence: bulk
>>
>>
>>PLEASE REDISTRIBUTE WIDELY
>>
>>SIGN-ON REQUEST
>>
>>
>>To:  Interested Persons
>>
>>From:     Jill Lesser
>>
>>Re:  Funding for the Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure
>>Assistance     Program (TIIAP)
>>
>>Date:     August 14, 1995
>>***********************************************************************
>>
>>     As many of you know, the Senate Appropriations Committee only
>>provided $4 million in funding for FY 1997 for the TIIAP program in the
>>Commerce, Justice State and the Judiciary Appropriations bill that was
>>approved by the Committee on August 1st.  This money is just a place
>>holder and if the Senate bill is not amended, the TIIAP program will
>>likely die.
>>
>>     Senator Kerrey (D-NE) is planning on introducing an amendment on the
>>Senate floor to bring the funding level up to $21.5 million for FY 1997
>>which is the amount that was appropriated by the House.  The bill is
>>likely to come up in early September and Senator Kerrey needs our help.
>>Therefore, we have drafted the attached letter to go to all members of the
>>Senate.  We hope everyone will be able to sign on.  It is important that
>>all organizations that have been involved in the fight to promote
>>universal access to advanced telecommunications systems weigh in here!
>>
>>     Because we don*t know exactly when the bill will be on the floor, we
>>would like to collect signatures for the letter by the time Congress gets
>>back the first week of September.  If your organization cannot sign on to
>>this letter, please send letters to any and all members of the Senate
>>urging them to support and fund the TIIAP program. To sign on please call
>>Jill Lesser at (202) 467-2308 or e-mail me at [log in to unmask]
>>
>>
>>Dear Senator:
>>
>>     We write on behalf of a diverse coalition of education, library,
>>arts, disability, civil liberties, trade unions and other civic
>>organizations to urge you to vote for the Amendment to add 17.5 million of
>>funding for the Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure
>>Assistance Program (TIIAP) to be offered by Senator Bob Kerrey (D-NE),
>>[and others], to the Senate Appropriations bill for Commerce, Justice,
>>State, and the Judiciary, H.R. 3814.
>>
>>      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
>>who may not otherwise have the means or opportunity -- like citizens in
>>rural and low income areas and citizens with disabilities -- are able to
>>tap into the wealth of information that is accessible via advanced
>>telecommunications technologies.  TIIAP dollars are 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 without having to travel far distances.  To fully
>>realize the benefits of advanced technologies, however, every American
>>must have the opportunity to access these resources.  TIIAP-funded support
>>helps 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 for economic
>>empowerment:
>>
>>ï   TIIAP grants in Oregon helped develop a community network designed to
>>electronically link Native American tribes in the Columbia River basin.
>>The network will help the tribes manage the economically and culturally
>>important fisheries of the Columbia River System by providing access to
>>and communication with the Fish Commission, and the State and Federal
>>government.
>>
>>ï   In New Hampshire, TIIAP funds gave many of the state*s neediest
>>families increased access to public and private assistance programs.  Due
>>to a lack of public transportation, simple application forms, and
>>awareness of existing programs, the rural residents of Concord were
>>previously unable to receive the help they needed.  Sites for the
>>SafetyNet network were installed in various ideal locations, such as near
>>a central fire station, in a Head Start center, and in a transitional
>>shelter for families.
>>
>>ï   In Montana, Big Horn Telecommunications Project received TIIAP funds
>>to provide teachers, students, library patrons, medical patients, business
>>people and government officials in the poorest county in Montana access to
>>information via the Internet.  The Project will, for example, enable
>>students from kindergarten to college to have access to a *virtual library
>>collection* by linking area libraries with those at universities in
>>Billings.
>>
>>ï   The very rural and remote Piedmont region of South Carolina received
>>TIIAP funds to create a high-tech fiber optic network linking high
>>schools, the technical college, and area businesses. This network will
>>allow more than 6,000 students to benefit from advanced placement courses,
>>access to the Internet, and numerous other educational opportunities which
>>would have been impossible without the TIIAP funding.
>>
>>ï   A public school system in Nebraska used TIIAP funds to create an
>>electronic community within a rural impoverished community. The
>>Metropolitan Area Network will link the city of Beatrice, its local
>>community college, and its public schools.  Members of the community will
>>receive Internet training so that they can access both local and statewide
>>information.
>>
>>ï   TIIAP funding in West Virginia helped enable isolated, rural mountain
>>communities access much needed information services through their local
>>libraries. Project InfoMine links local libraries with the resources of
>>larger college libraries. It also enables unemployed miners to find
>>off-site work information or retraining opportunities and gives expectant
>>mothers important health, diet, and childcare information.
>>
>>     In a time 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.  The TIIAP is a modest program which can
>>contribute significantly to the development of a truly National
>>Information Infrastructure.
>>
>>     We urge you to support the Kerrey Amendment to H.R. 3814 that will
>>appropriate critical funding for the TIIAP program for fiscal year 1997.
>>
>>
>>Very truly yours,
>