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Legislation
Today's Quote 07.21.06
Submitted by Benton Foundation on July 21, 2006 - 7:47amLast updated: February 21, 2008 - 2:09am
"The outlook is murky."
-- House Commerce Chairman Joe Barton on chances of passing telecom reform legislation this year
Barton sees Murky Future for Telco Bill
Submitted by Benton Foundation on July 21, 2006 - 7:45amLast updated: February 21, 2008 - 2:09am
The prospects of passing legislation this year that would help telephone companies more quickly get licenses to offer television service are "murky," House Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton (R-TX) said Thursday.
Dueling Net Neutrality Op-Eds
Submitted by Benton Foundation on July 21, 2006 - 7:38amLast updated: February 21, 2008 - 2:09am
Rep. Lois Capps writes that Congress shouldn't just sit by and watch network neutrality and the vibrancy of the Internet slip away. Rep. Marsha Blackburn writes that it should be clear that we have enough real challenges ahead without Congress leaping to create solutions for problems that may not actually exist.
Christian Coalition Ramps Up Effort On Behalf Of 'Net Neutrality' Plan
Submitted by Benton Foundation on July 21, 2006 - 7:37amLast updated: February 21, 2008 - 2:09am
The Christian Coalition will play a critical role in trying to generate needed Republican support for a controversial network neutrality amendment sponsored by Sens. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and Byron Dorgan (D-ND). The Christian Coalition has 50 state organizations. It is worried that if the Internet is divided into faster and slower lanes -- as envisioned by AT&T, Verizon Communications and other major companies -- it might have difficulty reaching its 3 million members.
Frist seeks swift action on Web gambling
Submitted by Benton Foundation on July 21, 2006 - 7:33amLast updated: February 21, 2008 - 2:09am
A bill to ban Internet gambling faces opposition in the U.S. Senate, but backers still hope to win passage of it within a few weeks, a top aide to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said on Thursday.
Politicos push to update Cold War-era alert system
Submitted by Benton Foundation on July 21, 2006 - 7:30amLast updated: February 21, 2008 - 2:08am
In an age of omnipresent cell phone, Internet and BlackBerry users, why does the government rely primarily on analog television and radio to beam its national emergency alerts? Politicians asked that question -- and urged support for legislation aimed at expanding the Cold War-era system -- at a House of Representatives subcommittee hearing Thursday.
Ed tech scores Senate victory
Submitted by Benton Foundation on July 21, 2006 - 7:27amLast updated: February 21, 2008 - 2:08am
Advocates of educational technology received encouraging news July 18 as members of the influential Senate Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee voted to level-fund the Enhancing Education Through Technology block-grant program, the largest single source of ed-tech funding in the federal budget, at $272 million. The move comes after House lawmakers followed President Bush's proposal in voting to kill the program in the coming fiscal year. Though the program's fate is by no means guaranteed, the move leaves open the door for EETT to return in 2007.
Senate Panel Rallying Troops In Support Of Telecom Bill
Submitted by Benton Foundation on July 20, 2006 - 8:21amLast updated: February 21, 2008 - 2:07am
The Senate Commerce Committee quietly is rallying industry troops to lobby hard for passage of the massive telecommunications legislation adopted by the panel in late June after a marathon three-day markup.
Telecom Firms Explain Opposition To Cap On Universal Service Fund
Submitted by Benton Foundation on July 20, 2006 - 8:19amLast updated: February 21, 2008 - 2:07am
Telecommunications companies favoring changes to the fund designed to bring communications services to rural areas oppose a cap on the size of the fund.
Willner: Get Rid of Must-Buy
Submitted by Benton Foundation on July 20, 2006 - 8:16amLast updated: February 21, 2008 - 2:07am
A cable-operator executive Wednesday urged a group of House Republicans to eliminate a law that requires cable subscribers to buy their local TV signals before any cable networks, saying that the change would create regulatory parity with satellite-TV providers.
