|
TOP
on Top... For Now
by Norris Dickard
July 31, 2003
The
Department of Commerce's Technology
Opportunity Program (TOP) has been on the chopping
block since the beginning of the Bush administration.
Indeed, the President's FY 2004 budget argued again
that TOP program grants "have demonstrated the
advanced use of telecommunications technologies to enhance
the delivery of social services, such as education,
health care, and public safety. This program has fulfilled
it mission and is proposed for termination." Mission
accomplished, case closed.
The
Benton Foundation and others have argued for continued
TOP funding. Fortunately, Congress has continued to
see the utility of the program and funded it. But the
battles continue.
The
Senate Commerce Committee met in executive session on
July 31, 2003 to consider S 1478, the National
Telecommunications and Information Administration
(NTIA) Reauthorization Act of 2003. S 1478 was introduced
by the committee's chairman, John McCain (R-AZ), and
Senator Ernest Hollings (D-SC), ranking minority member
and authorizes the TOP program for five years. During
the meeting, Sen. John Sununu (R-NH) offered an amendment,
which was defeated, to eliminate TOP altogether.
NTIA
and TOP have not had an official authorization (a congressional
measure that establishes or continues an agency or program)
for years. Authorization is normally required before
appropriations (i.e. funding) measures can be passed.
But due to the complicated "points of order"
process provided by the rules of the House and Senate,
"unauthorized appropriations" can be made
through "suspension of rules or unanimous consent."
To make a long story short having a program authorization
is preferred and puts a program on a more sound footing.
To take effect, the NTIA/TOP authorization bill must
ultimately be passed by both the House and Senate and
signed by the President.
Meanwhile,
a major appropriations bill covering the Commerce Department
passed the House by a large margin -- 400 to 21. It
made headlines for its provision to block a new Federal
Communications Commission rule supported by the Bush
administration that would allow the nation's largest
television networks to purchase more stations. Also
in the measure was funding for the TOP program -- a
major accomplishment. A similar measure must pass in
the Senate, but that congressional body has generally
included a number of TOP program champions that are
more prone to fund it. Not taking anything for granted,
the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights/Education
Fund has launched a grassroots campaign to encourage
activists to send a general letter of support on TOP
to the President and their elected officials.
For
now, TOP looks to still be on top in the federal program
survival game.
Norris
Dickard is the director of public policy at the Benton
Foundation.
Related
Resources
NTIA
http://www.ntia.doc.gov
Technology
Opportunity Program
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/top/
LCCR
Grassroots Campaign
http://ga3.org/campaign/savetop
Related
Benton Publications
Bringing
A Nation Online: The Importance of Federal Leadership
A response to the federal report A Nation Online,
this report concludes that continued federal leadership
is essential to bringing a nation online, given the
significant technology gaps that remain along economic,
racial and geographic lines. Published by Benton and
the Leadership Conference for Civil Rights, in conjunction
with Leslie Harris & Associates, it also highlights
why the federal TOP program should be preserved with
TOP program profiles in individual states.
Federal
Retrenchment on the Digital Divide:
Potential National Impact
This policy brief explores the likely impact of budget
cuts to federal, digital divide investments, including
proposals to eliminate the TOP program.
Additional
Benton publications can be found on our website's library.
|
