Martin Testifies on FCC Appropriations

Testifying before the House Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government of the Committee on Appropriations on the Federal Communications Commission's Fiscal Year 2009 Budget Estimates, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin testified about his request for spending authority of $338,874,783 for Fiscal Year 2009. As in prior years, the Commission proposes to receive a direct appropriation of $1,000,000 and to raise the remainder, or $337,874,783, through regulatory fees. The Commission is requesting an additional $26,906,000 to implement five specific initiatives. First, $20,000,000 would continue and expand an outreach campaign to educate consumers about the upcoming transition to digital television. Second, the Commission is requesting $1,050,000 to fund a Public Safety Clearinghouse Program that would significantly expand our coordination and outreach efforts targeted to the public safety community. Third, the Commission is requesting $1,919,000 for the Inspector General to increase its efforts to fight waste, fraud, and abuse in the Universal Service Fund and other Commission programs. Fourth, the Commission is requesting an additional $200,000 for travel expenses to cover official travel. Finally, the Commission is requesting $3,737,000 for three modernization efforts. The Commission proposes to use $900,000 to complete the lifecycle replacement for vehicles the Commission uses to support police, fire departments, and other public safety organizations. In addition, the Commission also proposes to use $1,462,000 to consolidate the information technology systems used to process license applications and $1,375,000 to complete the replacement of the Commission’s antiquated accounting system.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-281410A1.pdf