NEWS RELEASE ON S. 4 SUBSTITUTE

[David Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>]

> Posted-Date: Wed, 2 Jun 1993 18:09:44 -0400 (EDT)
> Date: Wed, 2 Jun 1993 18:09:44 -0400 (EDT)
> From: Vigdor Schreibman - FINS <fins () access digex net>
> Sender: Vigdor Schreibman - FINS <fins () access digex net>
> Reply-To: Vigdor Schreibman - FINS <fins () access digex net>
> Subject: NEWS RELEASE ON S. 4 SUBSTITUTE
> To: COM-PRIV MESSAGE <COM-PRIV () psi com>
>
> ==================================================================
> FINS - NEWS BREAK                                     2 JUNE 1993
> ==================================================================
>
> NREN POLICY DEBATE
> New Release Requires Clarification
>
>   The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
> reported May 25, 1993, a substitute to S. 4, the National
> Competitiveness Act of 1993, including significant changes in Title
> VI--Information Technology Applications Research Program (formerly
> "Information Infrastructure and Technology Act of 1993").  A News
> Release issued by the Committee May 25, 1993, reported that
> "Language has been added to this section to clarify that the
> Federal program will not subsidize government networks that might
> compete with private commercial networks."
>
>    However, Richard D'Amato, Press Secretary of the Committee
> informed FINS today that this phrasing of the May 25 News Release,
> "may be an overstatement."  Ironically, the Committee News Release
> follows closely the language of a News Release dated April 27,
> 1993, issued by Tom Tauke, NYNEX Vice President - Government
> Affairs.  Tauke strressed the bill should "leave no doubt that
> government funds cannot be used to build or subsidize networks, or
> the use of networks, in competition with private-sector networks
> and services."
>
>   D'Amatotold FINS today, however, that "the Committee did not
> intend to end government support for the research and education
> community."  He indicated that the Committee wants to assure
> private industry that the government subsidy "will not be used to
> compete with private commercial network services" to the extent
> that this would "eliminate private networks."   Patrick Windham, the
> Committee's professional staff person who drafted the bill was not
> available for comment.
>
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