On The Hill

NATOA Leads Over 130 Others in Filing Comments with NTIA & RUS on Broadband Grant Program

NATOA lead 130 communities and organizations in filing comprehensive comments in response to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s Request for Information on how to implement the broadband grant program created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.  » Continue reading this entry

NATOA Invites All Communities to Sign On To NTIA/RUS Broadband Stimulus Comments

NATOA has issued a general invitation to all communities to sign on to the NTIA/RUS Broadband Stimulus comments being drafted by NATOA.  For more information,.. » Continue reading this entry

Kerry Named Chair of New Senate Commerce Communications Subcommittee

The Senate Commerce Committee has announced its subcommittee structure for the 111th Congress, and included amongst the group is the creation of a Communications and Technology Subcommittee.  The subcommittee will be chaired by Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), and its ranking member with be Sen. John Ensign (R-NV).  Once full membership of this subcommittee is announced, we will post the list here.

Broadband to Receive $7.2 Billion Under Conference Bill

Both the broadband provisions and funding level under the conference version of the stimulus bill have been made available.  The bill sets funding at $7.2 billion, with RUS receiving $2.5 billion and NTIA getting $4.7 billion.  Also of note in the conference bill is the adoption of the Senate approach to open access and network neutrality, which now incorporates a direct reference to the FCC’s Broadband Principles.  Any grant funding awarded by NTIA must, at a minimum, adhere to these principles when building and operating networks.  Finally, there is no longer a requirement that at least 50% of NTIA’s funds go to rural areas, instead making those grant funds widely available.

You can read the appropriations language relating to RUS here, and to NTIA here.  You can also read the text of the section relating to NTIA’s new Broadband TOPS program here.

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Senate Passes Economic Stimulus Bill

The Senate has voted to pass its $838 billion version of the economic stimulus bill, which would provide $7 billion in funding for broadband deployment.  The Senate bill, which saw significant changes and compromises before its eventual passage, was originally ticketed to provide $9 billion in funding under NTIA’s Broadband Technology Opportunities Program before being amended to its final $7 billion price tag.  The Senate bill does call for the imposition of open access and network neutrality provisions on networks built using federal grant funds.

The House and Senate must now go into Conference Committee and reconcile differences between the two versions of the economic stimulus package.