| Bush Announces Technology
Agenda |
6/13. President Bush gave a speech
to a group of corporate executives in Washington DC in which
he addressed a range of technology related issues, including
broadband deployment, research and development spending, the
R&D tax credit, trade promotion authority, and the Export
Administration Act.
The Bush administration also released a document
[PDF] titled "Promoting Innovation and Competitiveness:
President Bush's Technology Agenda". See also, the White
House web site's technology
agenda web page.
Trade Promotion Authority. Bush told his audience that
"Now, I'd like your help to convince both the members of
the Senate and the House to reconcile their differences in the
conference committee and get me a trade promotion authority as
quickly as possible. And with that trade promotion authority,
not only will I work to expand free trade throughout our
hemisphere, my attitude is good foreign policy starts with a
neighborhood which is democratic, free, prosperous, and
strong. But I will work in other parts of the world to open up
markets -- markets for high-tech products, markets for our
agricultural people. And I'll be aggressive at it. I will. And
if I find unfair trade practices, by the way, I'm going to
enforce the law, the laws on the books."
The House passed its version of HR 3005,
the Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority Act of 2001, by a
roll call vote of 215 to 214, on December 6, 2001. See, TLJ
Daily E-Mail Alert No. 323, December 7, 2001. The Senate
passed its vastly different bill last month. Differences will
have to be worked out by a conference committee.
Export Administration Act. Bush stated that "We're
also working to reform the Export Administration Act, known as
the EAA. We've got a bill out of the Senate; we're working to
get a bill out of the House. And I want you all to understand
-- you've probably been told this already, but I want to tell
you what else we've done. We've raised the control limits for
computer systems, and I'm eliminating outmoded controls on
computer chips. The idea is to understand the difference
between national security and free trade. And I think we've
brought some common sense to this issue."
S 149,
the Export Administration Act, sponsored by Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY), was
passed by the Senate on September 6, 2001 by a vote of 85 to
14. The Bush administration supports this bill. A much
different bill was reported by the House International
Relations Committee last summer. There has been no action
since September 11 on these bills.
R&D Spending. The President stated that "We're
also spending a lot of money on research and development,
which I believe is a legitimate federal function. We spend a
lot of money at the NIH, which is good for health care in
America, and we're spending over about $100 billion in
research and development for your fields."
R&D Tax Credit. Bush also said that "one of
the things I hope Congress joins me on is making the R&D
tax credit permanent, as well. You see, research has made a
huge difference for product development." The Congress
has been passing only temporary extensions of the R&D tax
credit.
Technology and War. Bush stated that "It is
fortuitous that America is on the cutting edge of high
technology at this time in history, because of the nature of
the war. In the old days, there would be columns of tanks and
artillery moving here and airplanes flying there. And now
we're facing sophisticated killers who hide in caves, who
communicate in shadowy ways, and who are plenty lethal. And
we're going to win the war because of our resolve and our
determination and our love for freedom. But we're also going
to win the war, thanks to the incredible technology and
technological breakthroughs that we have achieved here in
America."
Technology and Intelligence Gathering. Bush said that
"I can envision a lot of new technologies that enable us
to communicate with first responders, and to be able to
communicate between the federal and state and local
governments. As you probably have read, we've had a -- we can
do a better job of gathering intelligence and sharing
intelligence between different agencies of our government. All
of this is going to require, by the way, in order to do so,
new technologies within the FBI and the CIA, and the ability
to communicate with each other, and the ability to filter out
what information should go from one agency to the next, all
aimed at protecting the homeland." |
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| Bush Talks About Broadband
Deployment |
6/13. President Bush also spoke in vague terms about
broadband deployment in his June 13 speech
to corporate executives. He stated that "This country
must be aggressive about the expansion of broadband". He
reiterated his opposition to "access taxes on the
Internet". He also said he is working to "eliminate
hurdles and barriers to get broadband implemented".
However, he did not identify any of these "hurdles or
barriers", or what he is doing to eliminate them.
The Bush administration also addressed broadband in its 11
page agenda
[PDF]. It lists numerous things in sections on broadband
deployment, such as reforming education, reducing taxes,
extending the moratorium on Internet access taxes, and
promoting e-government. However, none of the cited initiatives
are broadband specific.
President Bush did not propose any legislation. Nor did he
state his position on any of the many pending broadband
related bills pending in the House and the Senate.
Otherwise, Bush said that he is leaving broadband related
policy to the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC), a telecommunications
regulatory agency. He stated that "I'm confident that the
chairman and the board is focusing on policies that will bring
high speed Internet service, will create competition, will
keep the consumers in mind, but to understand the -- kind of
the economic vitality that will occur when broadband is more
fully accessible."
The following excerpt from Bush's speech is what he had to say
pertaining to broadband:
"And so, which really leads me to an interesting question
that I know is on your mind, and that is broadband technology.
This country must be aggressive about the expansion of
broadband; we have to. I used to travel around our state of
Texas a lot. I saw some really innovative health programs. I
remember going to the Texas Tech Medical Center, and seeing a
fellow have his ear examined by a nurse practitioner in I
think it was Alpine, Texas. And the picture was clear and the
specialist was able to diagnose the disease.
We have virtual classrooms in Texas, virtual school districts
in Texas, where we've hooked up a fairly wealthy school
district with rural or poor school districts. It made a huge
difference. It would have been a heck of a lot better if there
had been broadband technology, however, to make the process
move a lot quicker.
I get -- when I'm down at Crawford, I'm in constant contact
with our administration. We've got secure teleconferencing
capacity there. And it's pretty good. It can be better. It can
be more real-time. It's an important part of life and it's
time for us to be -- time for us to move, move with an agenda.
Hopefully, we're doing a pretty good job of working to
eliminate hurdles and barriers to get broadband implemented.
I've fought off -- or worked with Congress, is a better way to
put it -- to prevent access taxes on the Internet. It ought to
be a tax-free environment in order to encourage use. And, of
course, a lot of the action is going to come through the FCC.
I know that, you know that. And I'm confident that the
chairman and the board is focusing on policies that will bring
high speed Internet service, will create competition, will
keep the consumers in mind, but to understand the -- kind of
the economic vitality that will occur when broadband is more
fully accessible."
Several groups praised Bush's comments regarding broadband.
Jeffrey Eisenach of the Progress
and Freedom Foundation (PFF) stated in a release
that "President Bush left no doubt that FCC Chairman Michael Powell
has his full support to move ahead on broadband deregulation
... Just as the Administration lent its support to the FCC's
decision to lift ownership caps on wireless spectrum, the
President has now personally given the green light to move
forward on broadband."
Robert Cresanti of the Business
Software Alliance (BSA) stated in a release
the the "BSA commends President Bush's efforts in
bringing the issues of broadband deployment, international
trade and research and development funding to the fore ... The
technology industry serves as an engine of growth for the U.S.
economy, and it follows that the administration would make the
health of this industry a priority. Policies that promote a
safe and legal online world are policies that enhance the U.S.
economy's expansion."
Walter McCormick, P/CEO of the U.S.
Telecom Association (USTA) stated release
that "We are delighted by the President's comments, which
put him squarely on the side of the broad majority who want to
see facilities based broadband deployment, the removal of
hurdles to investment, and who support the leadership and
vision of FCC Chairman Powell in the important broadband
policy initiatives that he has underway." Actually, the
President did not reference "facilities based"
competition or deployment in either his speech or his 11 page
agenda.
Similarly, Michael Boland, SVP for Legislative Affairs at Verizon, stated in a
release that "There's a growing demand for a greater
supply of broadband. Today the president joined that chorus
and we're thrilled. We, too, have confidence that Michael
Powell and the FCC commissioners will adopt the right policies
to make billion dollar investments in broadband make sense
again. The House has spoken, the president has spoken, and now
it's time for the Senate to act." |
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| Several Groups Criticize
Bush for Lack of Digital Divide Policy |
6/13. Several groups criticized the President's meeting
with, and speech
to, corporate executives on June 13. The Consumer Federation of
America (CFA), Consumers
Union (CU) and Leadership
Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR) stated in a release that
"It has become increasingly clear that the Bush
Administration is abandoning the federal government's decade
long commitment to bridging the digital divide. After a year
of public speculation over whether the White House was
committed to expanding information age opportunity to all
communities, the Administration has finally broken its silence
and the news is not good."
These groups also stated that "the Bush Administration
proposed eliminating two critically important community
technology programs in the 2003 budget: the Technology Opportunities
Program (TOP) administered by the Department of Commerce;
and the Community
Technology Center (CTC) initiative, a competitive grant
program administered by the Department
of Education."
"Now more than ever, federal leadership is crucial to
ensure that urban, rural, and Indian tribal land residents
have access to technology and can acquire the high tech job
skills necessary to compete in the 21st Century economy,"
said Wade Henderson, Executive Director of the LCCR. "
This will not happen ... with the public interest community
being excluded from key meetings at the White House." |
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| House Judiciary Committee
Debates Internet Gambling |
6/13. The House
Judiciary Committee resumed, but did not complete, its
mark up of HR 3215,
the Combating Illegal Gambling Reform and Modernization Act. Rep. Bob Goodlatte
(R-VA) offered an amendment
in the nature of a substitute. The Committee debated and
narrowly rejected an amendment to Rep. Goodlatte's amendment
offered by Rep. Robert
Wexler (D-FL) regarding jai alai and dog racing. Then, the
Committee recessed for the weekend.
The bill was introduced on November 1, 2001. See, bill as
introduced [PDF]. It is sponsored by Rep. Goodlatte and
155 other Members of Congress. The Subcommittee on Crime
amended and approved the bill on March 11. (See, TLJ
Daily E-Mail Alert No. 387, March 13, 2002.) On May 8, the
full Judiciary Committee began its mark up, but only heard
opening statements. The Committee has repeatedly noticed, and
then postponed, meetings to mark up this bill. No date has
been set for a continuation of the mark up.
Rep. Goodlatte stated at the June 13 meeting that the bill
"is needed to update a 1961 law that is badly out of
date, and to give law enforcement new tools to combat the 2000
offshore sites that are in everybody's living room and den,
and are available for a multitude of different types of
gambling."
Rep. Barney Frank
(D-MA) spoke in opposition. He said, "if you don't like
it, don't do it." He also said that "I am going to
vote for any amendment that lets more people gamble; and then
I am going to vote against the bill."
The Committee rejected by a vote of 15 to 15 an amendment
offered by Rep. Wexler to Rep. Goodlatte's amendment
in the nature of a substitute. The Wexler amendment
provided an exception pertaining to jai alai and dog racing.
Both are lawful businesses in the state of Florida, which Rep.
Wexler represents. Had the amendment been adopted, it might
have further encouraged other interests to seek their own
carve outs in the bill.
The vote on the Wexler amendment broke down along party lines.
All 15 "no" votes came from Republicans. 12 of the
"yes" votes came from Democrats. 3 Republicans also
voted "yes": Sensenbrenner, Hyde, and Coble. Rep. Adam Schiff
(D-CA), a former federal prosecutor, voted "pass".
Several Democrats who had been present earlier in the meeting,
were absent for this vote.
Rep. Goodlatte stated after the hearing that he is confident
that the bill will be approved by the Committee. In the 106th
Congress, the Judiciary Committee approved another Internet
gambling bill sponsored by Rep. Goodlatte. The full House then
considered it under a suspension of the rules, meaning that it
could not be amended, and required a 2/3 majority for passage.
It fell just short of a 2/3 majority. The Senate has also
twice passed Internet gambling bills. Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) has led
Senate efforts on this issue.
Expansion of the Wire Act. HR 3215 would amend 18
U.S.C. §§ 1081 and 1084, which contain the definitions and
prohibition, respectively, of the Wire Act. The Wire Act
currently criminalizes the use of "wire communications
facilities" in interstate commerce for gambling. The Wire
Act does not ban gambling. This is a matter of state law. HR 3215
expands the prohibition to cover all communications between
states or with foreign countries. It maintains the principle
that gambling is otherwise a matter of state law. Hence, under
HR 3215, use of the Internet for gambling purposes would
become illegal (if interstate or foreign).
The criminal prohibition of the Wire Act, 18
U.S.C. §§ 1084, currently provides that "Whoever
being engaged in the business of betting or wagering knowingly
uses a wire communication facility for the transmission in
interstate or foreign commerce of bets or wagers ... shall be
fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years,
or both." Since the current statute affects only wire
communication facilities, and some Internet communications do
not involve wires, it leaves open the possibility that some
Internet gambling may not be illegal under the Wire Act.
HR 3215 provides that "whoever, being engaged in a
gambling business, knowingly (1) for the transmission in
interstate or foreign commerce ..." or between the U.S.
and abroad "... of bets or wagers ... shall be fined
under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or
both." Hence, it pertains to all communications, not just
wire communications. Moreover, the maximum penalty for
violation is increased from 2 to 5 years.
Also, HR 3215 would amend 18
U.S.C. § 1081, which currently defines ''wire
communication facility'' as "any and all
instrumentalities, personnel, and services (among other
things, the receipt, forwarding, or delivery of
communications) used or useful in the transmission of
writings, signs, pictures, and sounds of all kinds by aid of
wire, cable, or other like connection between the points of
origin and reception of such transmission." As amended,
it would provide that "communications facility"
means "any and all instrumentalities, personnel, and
services (among other things, the receipt, forwarding, or
delivery of communications) used or useful in the transmission
of writings, signs, pictures, and sounds of all kinds by aid
of wire, cable, satellite, microwave, or other like connection
(whether fixed or mobile) between the points of origin and
reception of such transmission."
Skill Versus Chance. On March 12, the Crime
Subcommittee amended the bill's definition of "bets or
wagers". The language of this amendment, which is also in
the June 13 version, amends the Wire Act to provide that
"bets or wagers" is "the staking or risking by
any person of something of value upon the outcome of a contest
of others, a sporting event, or a game predominantly subject
to chance, not skill, upon an agreement or
understanding that the person or another person will receive
something of greater value than the amount staked or risked in
the event of a certain outcome". (Emphasis added.) The
words "not skill" have been added to the language of
the bill as introduced. Hence, games based on skill, such as
fantasy sports leagues, would thus not be covered by the Wire
Act.
Illegal Gambling Funding. HR 3215 also
criminalizes "the transmission of a communication in
interstate or foreign commerce ... which entitles the
recipient to receive money or credit as a result of bets or
wagers, or for information assisting in the placing of bets or
wagers". Also, like HR 556,
the Unlawful Internet Gambling Funding Prohibition Act,
sponsored by Rep. James
Leach (R-IA), HR 3215 would prohibit the use of
credit, electronic funds transfers, and checks in connection
with illegal gambling.
Enforcement. In addition to criminal penalties, HR 3215
would allow federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement
agencies to obtain injunctions against violation of the act.
It also provides that "any common carrier, subject to the
jurisdiction of the Federal
Communications Commission" may be enjoined from
providing service to entities in violation of the act, and
gives such carriers immunity from suit for discontinuing such
service.
Internet Service Providers. The amendment in the nature
of a substitute offered on June 13 changes the bill on the
matter of ISPs, or interactive computer services, as they are
called in this bill. The new language is as follows:
"Relief granted under paragraph (1) against an
interactive computer service (as defined in section 230(f) of
the Communications Act of 1934) shall -- (A) be limited to the
removal of, or disabling of access to, an online site
violating this section, or a hypertext link to an online site
violating this section, that resides on a computer server that
such service controls or operates; except this limitation
shall not apply if the service is violating this section or is
in active concert with a person who is violating this section
and receives actual notice of the relief; (B) be available
only after notice to the interactive computer service and an
opportunity for the service to appear are provided; (C) not
impose any obligation on an interactive computer service to
monitor its service or to affirmatively seek facts indicating
activity violating this section; (D) specify the interactive
computer service to which it applies; and (E) specifically
identify the location of the online site or hypertext link to
be removed or access to which is to be disabled."
The bill contains a notice and take down provision, which
enables law enforcement authorities to obtain a court order
compelling an ISP to take down a gambling web site, and a
hyperlink to gambling web site. Previous versions of the bill
had language protecting ISPs. What is new about the June 13
version is that ISPs are entitled to notice and an opportunity
to appear.
Rep. Goodlatte described this new language at the June 13
meeting. He said that "this change makes clear that
injunctions issued against interactive computer services to
take down illegal gambling web sites, or web sites containing
hypertext links hosted by the ISP, would issue only after
notice and a hearing, would specify that the service to which
the order applies, and provide enough information so that the
interactive computer service could locate the site, or
hypertext link. These are the banner ads that you see all over
the computer when you go online linking you to these offshore
sites. Law enforcement, upon notice and due process would,
under this language, be able to, upon an order of the court,
require that the links be broken."
State Lotteries. An amendment adopted on March 12 also
changed the bill as introduced on the subject of state
lotteries. It includes a technical amendment which allows
states to operate intrastate Internet lotteries with servers
out of state. This language, which is maintained in the June
13 version, is as follows: "Nothing in this section
prohibits ... the interstate transmission of information
relating to a State-specific lottery between a State or
foreign country where such betting or wagering is permitted
under Federal, State, tribal, or local law and an out-of-state
data center for the purposes of assisting in the operation of
such State-specific lottery."
Information Exchanged Between Pari Mutuel Wagering
Facilities. The amendment in the nature of a substitute
offered on June 13 also contains a new exception in the
definitional section. It provides that "The term
‘information assisting in the placing of bets or wagers’
means information knowingly transmitted by an individual in a
gambling business for use in placing, receiving, making, or
otherwise enabling or facilitating a bet or wager and does not
include ... information that is exchanged between or among 1
or more pari-mutuel wagering facilities licensed by the State
or approved by the foreign jurisdiction in which the facility
is located, and any support services, wherever located, if the
information exchanged is used exclusively for the pooling or
processing of bets or wagers made by or with the facility or
facilities under each State's applicable law."
Rep. Goodlatte offered this explanation. He said that the June
13 version "has a provision that was in the last bill,
that was omitted from this bill, dealing with a term called
common pool wagering. It is a common practice as a book
keeping matter when taking wagers on pari-mutuel contests to
include those wagers in a wagering pool established
specifically for that contest, and to pay any wagers out of
the same pool. The transmission of information in regard to
common pools is a purely technical activity. The current Wire
Act permits the transmission of information assisting in the
placing of bets or wagers on a sporting event or contest from
a state where it is legal into a state where it is also
legal."
Transfer of Information. The June 13 version of the
bill also adds a new paragraph (d) to the 18 U.S.C. § 1084
(which contains the criminal prohibition of the Wire Act)
regarding the transfer of information. Rep. Goodlatte stated
that "To address the concern that authority be restored
to the states to control their own borders with the regard to
the enforcement of their gambling statutes, a new paragraph
(d) was added to the bill which provides that the interstate
transmission of bets of wagers is permitted under certain
enumerated conditions. This provision, however, does not
authorize the transmission of bets or wagers between a state
and a foreign country regardless of the legality of such bet
or wagering in the foreign country." |
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| House Judiciary Committee
Approves Homeland Security Information Sharing Act |
6/13. The House
Judiciary Committee amended and approved HR
4598, the Homeland Security Information Sharing Act, a
bill to provide for the sharing of homeland security
information by Federal intelligence and law enforcement
agencies with state and local entities.
The bills provides that "The President shall prescribe
procedures under which relevant Federal agencies determine (A)
whether, how, and to what extent homeland security information
may be shared with appropriate State and local personnel, and
with which such personnel may it be shared; and (B) to the
extent such information is in classified form, whether, how,
and to what extent to declassify (or remove classified
information from, as appropriate) such information, and with
which such personnel may it be shared after such
declassification (or removal)."
The Committee approved an amendment offered by Rep. Mel Watt (D-NC), as
amended by an amendment offered by Rep. Mark Green
(R-WI). This amendment (as amended) provides that "the
procedures prescribed ... shall establish conditions on the
use of information shared ... (A) to limit the redissemination
of such information; (B) to ensure that such information is
not used for an unauthorized purpose; (C) to ensure the
security and confidentiality of such information; (D) to
protect the constitutional rights of any individuals who are
subjects of such information; and (E) to provide data
integrity through timely removal and destruction of obsolete
or erroneous names and information."
The Committee also approved an amendment offered by Rep. Anthony Weiner
(D-NY) that would allow, but not require, the sharing of
information acquired in federal grand jury investigations. Rep. William Delahunt
(D-MA) opposed the amendment. He stated that "we are
diminishing the concept of what a grand jury is about",
and that this provision "is ripe for abuse". Rep.
Weiner pointed out that there are already civil liabilities
for improper release. |
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| Saturday, June 15 |
| Deadline for the FCC to submit
its annual report to Congress regarding progress made in
achieving the objectives of the Open Market Reorganization for
the Betterment of International Telecommunications Act (ORBIT
Act), 47 U.S.C. § 646. See, FCC
notice [PDF]. |
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| Monday, June 17 |
The House will meet at 12:30 PM.
The Supreme Court will return from recess.
2:00 - 3:30 PM. The FCC's International Bureau will
hold a public forum to discuss issues and policies pertaining
to the international satellite network coordination process
and the domestic regulatory aspects of the International
Telecommunication Union's satellite network filing
process. Location: FCC, 445 12th Street, SW, Room TW-C305.
Deadline to submit comments to the FCC regarding
its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding the consequences
of the FCC's classification of cable modem service as an
information service. This is CS Docket No. 02-52. See, FCC
release [PDF] and notice
in Federal Register. |
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| Tuesday, June 18 |
8:30 - 10:00 AM. The American
Enterprise Institute (AEI) will host a press breakfast
titled "Telecommunications and Media Issues" with
former FCC Commissioner Harold Furchtgott Roth and other AEI
scholars. RSVP to Veronique Rodman at telephone 202 862-4871
or vrodman @aei.org.
Location: AEI, 1150 17th Street, NW, 11th Floor Conference
Room.
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM. The Global
Internet Project (GIP) will host a conference titled Spam:
Can It Be Stopped? Federal
Trade Commission (FTC) Commissioner Orson Swindle will
give the opening keynote address at 9:20 AM. See, agenda.
Location: Crystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington, VA.
12:00 NOON. The FTC will host an event
titled Workshop on Merger Remedies. See, FTC release.
Location: Room 332, FTC, 600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.
2:30 - 4:30 PM. The Department
of State's (DOS) International Telecommunication Advisory
Committee (ITAC-D) will hold a meeting. This Committee advises
the Department on policy, technical and operational issues
with respect to the International
Telecommunication Union (ITU). For more information, and
security restrictions, see notice
in Federal Register. Location: Room 1406, DOS.
Day one of a four day conference titled "INET 2002:
Internet Crossroads: Where Technology and Policy
Intersect". See, conference
information page. Location: Crystal Gateway Marriott,
Arlington, VA. |
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| Wednesday, June 19 |
The FCC has
scheduled Auction 31 and Auction 44,
pertaining to spectrum in the 700 megahertz band. On May 24,
2002, the FCC announced that Auction 31 is postponed until
January 14, 2003, but that Auction 44 will proceed on June 19,
2002. See, FCC notice
of postponement.
10:00 AM. The Senate
Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Science, and
Transportation Communications will hold a hearing to examine
future sufficiency and stability of the Universal Service
Fund. Location: Room 253, Russell Building.
11:30 AM. The Congressional Wireless Caucus will hold a press
conference. The scheduled speakers include Sen. Sam Brownback
(R-KS), Sen. Byron Dorgan
(D-ND), Rep. Chip
Pickering (R-MS), and Rep.
Al Wynn (D-MD). Press contact: Kimberly Kuo at 202
736-3202 or Kkuo@ctia.org.
Location: Rayburn Building Foyer.
12:30 PM. The Association of
Federal Communications Consulting Engineers will hold a
luncheon meeting. For reservations or more information,
contact Noel Luddy at luddyen
@aol.com or 301 299-2270. The price to attend is $35.
Location: Wyndham City Center Hotel, 1143 New Hampshire Ave.,
NW.
1:45 PM. The Senate
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee will hold
a hearing on proposed legislation authorizing funds for the
National Science Foundation, focusing on math and science
research, development, and education. Location: Room 430,
Dirksen Building.
6:00 - 8:00 PM. The FCBA will
host a Continuing Legal Education program titled "TELRIC
at the Crossroads: The Supreme Court Decision in Verizon v.
FCC". The scheduled panelists are Bradford Ramsay
(General Counsel of the NARUC),
Lawrence Sarjeant (SVP/GC of the USTA), and John
Windhausen (President of the ALTS).
Location: Capitol Hilton, 1001 16th St., NW.
7:00 - 8:00 PM. The National Press Club CyberCocktail Lecture
Series will host an panel discussion titled "The State of
ePR". It will be followed by a cocktail reception at 8:00
- 9:30 PM. The participants will be Rod Kuckro (Bandwith),
Lori Barnes (Public Relations Society of America), Mike Fulton
(Golin Harris), Steve Ginsberg (Reuters), Mike McMearty (WTOP),
Rick Rudman (Vocus), and Danny Selnick (PR Newswire). The
price to attend for non members is $10. To make reservations,
call 202 662-7501 or email lauraf
@press.org. Location: Ballroom, National Press Club, 529 14th
St. NW, 13th Floor.
Day two of a four day conference titled "INET 2002:
Internet Crossroads: Where Technology and Policy
Intersect". See, conference
information page. |
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| Qwest Files Long Distance
Applications |
6/13. Qwest Communications
filed Section
271 applications with the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) to provide in region
interLATA services in the states of Colorado, Idaho, Iowa,
Nebraska and North Dakota. Qwest also announced that
"Over the summer and fall, Qwest plans to file similar
applications for long distance authority in the nine other
Western states where it provides local communications."
See, Qwest
release.
Jim Lewis, WorldCom's
SVP for Public Policy, stated in a release
that "Qwest is asking far too much, way too soon. The
fact is tests show Qwest's region wide local phone systems are
not ready to perform at commercial volumes." He also
asserted that Qwest charges its competitors "exorbitant
rates" to access its phone network. He concluded that
"It's now up to the Department of Justice and Federal
Communications Commission to force Qwest to fix its problems
before it gets into long distance." |
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| People and Appointments |
| 6/13. Thomas Horton was appointed Senior EVP and CFO
of AT&T. He was previously SVP and CFO of AMR
Corporation, the parent company of American Airlines. He
succeeds Charles Noski as CFO. Noski will leave
AT&T when its merger with Comcast is complete. See, AT&T
release. |
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