To address the problem of low Internet penetration on tribal lands, Senate Commerce Committee Co-Chmn. Inouye (D- Hawaii) introduced a bill to clarify tribal libraries’ E-rate fund eligibility. The bill, co-sponsored by Chmn. Stevens (R-Alaska) and Sens. Dorgan (D-N.D.), Burns (R-Mont.) and McCain (R-Ariz.), would require the Census Bureau to ask about Internet subscribership in residential households to get a more accurate picture of how many people are connected. Inouye premiered the bill at a hearing on rural telecom. Native Americans view telecom law changes “very seriously,” said Joe Garcia, pres.-National Congress of American Indians. The 1934 and 1996 laws left “tribal roles, needs and abilities unaddressed,” Garcia said: “This is one of the root causes why our lands lag far behind the rest of the nation in virtually every measure of communications connectivity.” “There is the very real risk that broadband will not be deployed in many parts of rural America -- or it will not provide rural consumers the kind of access they need,” said Microsoft CTO Craig Mundie. One way to speed deployment is to adopt a “white spaces” bill Stevens proposed, he said. That bill would allow allocation of spectrum below 1 GHz for unlicensed uses, Mundie said.
A Congressional coalition Wed. rolled the dice trying to prohibit Internet gambling. With 100-plus cosponsors, Reps. Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Boucher (D-Va.) debuted the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act (HR-4777), which was opposed twice by lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Considering his problems, lawmakers think chances are good of cracking down on offshore gaming and wagering that crosses state lines via Internet or phone.
Congress should clarify tribal libraries’ eligibility for E-rate funding, the GAO said. Reporting on telecom services for native Americans, the GAO said Telecom Act E- rate funding rules exclude tribal libraries in at least 2 states. The Act bases a library’s E-rate eligibility on its having qualified for certain state library funds. But in at least 2 states, tribal libraries aren’t eligible for those state funds, “which has the effect of making these libraries ineligible to apply for E-rate funds,” the GAO said. The GAO said its study came because Congress is eyeing legislation “to establish a grant program to help tribes improve telecommunications services on their lands.” In 2000 about 69% of Native American households on tribal lands in the continental U.S. subscribed to phone service, compared with about 98% nationwide, the study said. Subscribership in Alaskan native villages was slightly higher, 87%, GAO said. GAO wants the FCC to decide what additional data are needed to assess progress toward more subscribership on tribal lands. But the FCC said “it is not the organization best positioned to determine what that data should be,” GAO said. Therefore, Congress should direct the FCC to figure out what data are needed, GAO said.
Congress should clarify tribal libraries’ eligibility for E-rate funding, the GAO said. Reporting on telecom services for native Americans, the GAO said Telecom Act E- rate funding rules exclude tribal libraries in at least 2 states. The Act bases a library’s E-rate eligibility on its having qualified for certain state library funds. But in at least 2 states, tribal libraries aren’t eligible for those state funds, “which has the effect of making these libraries ineligible to apply for E-rate funds,” the GAO said. The GAO said its study came because Congress is eyeing legislation “to establish a grant program to help tribes improve telecommunications services on their lands.” In 2000 about 69% of Native American households on tribal lands in the continental U.S. subscribed to phone service, compared with about 98% nationwide, the study said. Subscribership in Alaskan native villages was slightly higher, 87%, GAO said. GAO wants the FCC to decide what additional data are needed to assess progress toward more subscribership on tribal lands. But the FCC said “it is not the organization best positioned to determine what that data should be,” GAO said. Therefore, Congress should direct the FCC to figure out what data are needed, GAO said.
The FCC issued a decision on some of the technical issues raised in June in a rulemaking tied to the advanced wireless services (AWS) auction. the auction, expected to take place this summer, could raises in billions of dollars for the Treasury. The FCC sought guidance on issues such as reserve bid prices that guarantee govt. agencies will be fully compensated as they exit the spectrum put up for sale, and on options for preserving tribal land bidding credits. The Commercial Spectrum Enhancement Act creating the trust fund for compensating agencies required the FCC to make changes proposed in the rulemaking. A few industry players, notably Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile, had provided some advice for how the FCC should proceed in an otherwise quiet docket. Sources said there saw no major surprises in the order.
The Internet gaming industry expects “more of the same” in 2006 from congressional opponents of online gambling. Rep. Leach (R-Ia.) introduced the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (HR-4411) late last session, and action is expected on the bill this year, the Interactive Gaming Council (IGC) said. The measure would prohibit the use in Web gambling transactions of credit cards and all other products of U.S. financial institutions. Leach and his allies have “already substantially achieved that goal, without benefit of new laws,” said IGC Exec. Dir. Rick Smith: “Whether because of pressure from federal and state authorities or because of their own initiatives, most major U.S. financial institutions block Internet gambling transactions. For several years, it’s been rare to find a U.S. credit card that can be used to deposit funds at an online casino.” That proves the futility of Leach’s effort, IGC argued. The lawmaker told colleagues that Americans will bet $5.9 billion on Internet gambling this year, and the head of a major online casino and sports betting firm estimated that 12.5 million Americans wager online. “If all these people are betting all this money, they have found other ways to deposit funds into their accounts at Internet gambling sites,” Smith said: “If that many Americans enjoy this activity, nothing that Congress can do will stop them.” The measure provides exemptions. HR-4411 wouldn’t apply to the Interstate Horseracing Act, which allowed with restrictions phone and Internet betting on horse races, IGC said. The bill also contains exemptions for fantasy sports leagues and for tribal gaming. A section of HR-4411 requires the U.S. Treasury to report to Congress annually on any deliberations between the U.S. and other countries on issues relating to Internet gambling. If the bill becomes law, the report on deliberations with the U.K. will make interesting reading, the group said. Britain’s new Gambling Commission has started consultations on how it will license and regulate all forms of gambling. New regulations will take effect in 2007, with applications for remote gambling licenses expected to be accepted year, IGC said. The British govt. has said sites it licenses will be free to take bets from the U.S. Leach told Congress he was working with Sen. Kyl (R-Ariz.) on his effort. Kyl has repeatedly tried to get similar legislation approved in the Senate. A spokesman for Kyl said the lawmaker intends to introduce soon a bill that will be “substantively similar” to his previous legislative efforts. A Leach spokesman told us HR-4411 hasn’t moved because of Congress’s winter recess and refused to comment on IGC’s statements. IGC Deputy Dir. Keith Furlong said Congress is wasting time “trying to develop prohibitory bills that will satisfy various vested interest groups.” Regulatory steps are needed for online gambling, but “not these futile stabs at prohibition,” he said. The U.S. govt.’s “shortsighted and unrealistic stance” on Internet gaming regulation doesn’t provide consumers the protections they get in real-world casinos, and it denies millions of dollars of business opportunities to U.S. casino firms and keeps Wall Street companies from participating in an expanding industry, IGC said.
CenturyTel agreed to pay $75,000 to the U.S. Treasury to settle an FCC investigation into whether it was adequately publicizing Lifeline and Link-Up programs to low-income residents on tribal lands. CenturyTel also agreed to implement an outreach plan to low-income residents on tribal lands within its operating area.
The “digital divide” is a growing problem that Congress must not ignore as it takes up DTV legislation and a rewrite of telecom laws, civil rights groups said at a panel Tues. “The digital divide is clearly large, and it’s not disappearing soon, and it’s much larger for children than adults,” said Robert Fairlie, prof., U. of Cal.-Santa Cruz. Blacks and Latinos are much less likely than white, non-Latinos to have access to home computers (50.6% and 48.7% compared to 74.6%), Fairlie said, citing a recent study he did for the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Education Fund. They're also less likely to have Internet access at home (40.5% and 38.1% compared to 67.3%).
The “digital divide” is a growing problem that Congress must not ignore as it takes up DTV legislation and a rewrite of telecom laws, civil rights groups said at a panel Tues. “The digital divide is clearly large, and it’s not disappearing soon, and it’s much larger for children than adults,” said Robert Fairlie, prof., U. of Cal.-Santa Cruz. Blacks and Latinos are much less likely than white, non-Latinos to have access to home computers (50.6% and 48.7% compared to 74.6%), Fairlie said, citing a recent study he did for the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Education Fund. They're also less likely to have Internet access at home (40.5% and 38.1% compared to 67.3%).
The “digital divide” is a growing problem that Congress must not ignore as it takes up DTV legislation and a rewrite of telecom laws, civil rights groups said at a panel Tues. “The digital divide is clearly large, and it’s not disappearing soon, and it’s much larger for children than adults,” said Robert Fairlie, prof., U. of Cal.-Santa Cruz. Blacks and Latinos are much less likely than white, non-Latinos to have access to home computers (50.6% and 48.7% compared to 74.6%), Fairlie said, citing a recent study he did for the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Education Fund. They're also less likely to have Internet access at home (40.5% and 38.1% compared to 67.3%).