>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,