ROCKEFELLER TO REINTRODUCE BROADBAND TAX CREDIT BILL
Sen. Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) will re-introduce broadband tax credit bill designed to expand deployment in rural areas, spokeswoman told us. Bill will be similar to S-88, which had 65 co-sponsors last year but wasn’t passed out of Finance Committee. It’s likely to be offered at end of Jan., spokeswoman said. Time ran out in Senate in last session before appropriate legislative vehicle could be found to attach bill as rider, said Grant Seifert, Telecom Industry Assn. vp-govt. relations.
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Other bills have been introduced that are designed to spur broadband deployment through tax and other measures. Rep. English (R-Pa.) reintroduced his broadband tax credit measure, which has the same bill number (HR-267) as last year when it attracted 227 co-sponsors but never moved from Ways & Means Committee. Current version has no co-sponsors yet. Senate Communications Subcommittee Chmn. Burns (R-Mont.) introduced similar bill that will allow companies deploying broadband to rural areas to expense that cost, strategy he said could be more effective than tax credits. “As things continue to slow down for the vendor community, as many options as possible should be given to help spur more deployment,” Seifert said.
Senate passed its first communications-related bill Tues. evening when it approved Amber Alert legislation 92-0. Bill, which was supported by NAB, would create official at Justice Dept. (DoJ) to coordinate Amber Alert functions nationwide. It would give DoJ $5 million for Amber Alert coordination and Transportation Dept. $20 million. Senate also passed bill last year, but House didn’t address uncontroversial measure before it adjourned.
Several other telecom and communications bills have been introduced since 108th Congress convened 2 weeks ago. Rep. Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.) has introduced several communications related bills, including: (1) HR-68, which calls for “efficient allocation of telephone numbers,” which includes number portability and several other measures designed to ration telephone numbers. It also requires account of technology that requires telephone numbers. (2) HR-71, which would require consumer consent for location tracking on cell phones.
Other recently introduced bills include: (1) S-196, from Sen. Allen (R-Va.) that would fund telecom and technology infrastructure improvements for minority focused colleges. (2) HR-138, from Rep. McHugh (R-N.Y.), which is designed to bridge the digital divide in rural areas. (3) HR-94, from Rep. Green (D-Tex.), would increase funding for technology in schools. (4) S-118, from Sen. Edwards (D- N.C.), would create national early warning system, to be used for natural disasters, terrorist attacks and other emergencies where communication with public was important.