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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