The economic stimulus package has dominated nightly newscasts and newspaper headlines this week, and while Democrats and Republicans are still undecided over whether the bill is unnecessary or just the type of boost our economy needs, the stimulus does include some serious cash for tech-related projects.
The House approved the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan this week, and a Senate version of the bill is currently floating through Congress. There are some differences in the way the money is allocated, but both bills target roughly the same projects.
So what are your tax dollars getting out of the stimulus? Everything from broadband grants and a $650 million boost to the DTV program to an upgraded electric grid and millions of dollars worth of explosive detection devices at airports.
Broadband Grants
As more and more Americans drop land lines for cell phones and telecommute via residential high-speed Internet lines, access to broadband is increasingly considered essential to competing in today's 21st century economy.
But what about rural or low-income areas with limited Web access? Do we wait for private ISPs to build out their networks or dole out government funds?
The House stimulus package allocates $6 billion for broadband grants and loans, split between the Departments of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) within the Commerce Department.
Agriculture has to allocate at least 75 percent of its $3 billion to rural areas without sufficient access to broadband, and these grants must be open-access. NTIA has to give $1 billion for wireless broadband grants and $1.825 billion for broadband deployment grants. At least half of the grants would have to be awarded by Sept. 30, 2009.
NTIA would also get $350 million to track broadband availability and to develop a Web-based broadband inventory map.
The House approved the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan this week, and a Senate version of the bill is currently floating through Congress. There are some differences in the way the money is allocated, but both bills target roughly the same projects.
So what are your tax dollars getting out of the stimulus? Everything from broadband grants and a $650 million boost to the DTV program to an upgraded electric grid and millions of dollars worth of explosive detection devices at airports.
Broadband Grants
As more and more Americans drop land lines for cell phones and telecommute via residential high-speed Internet lines, access to broadband is increasingly considered essential to competing in today's 21st century economy.
But what about rural or low-income areas with limited Web access? Do we wait for private ISPs to build out their networks or dole out government funds?
The House stimulus package allocates $6 billion for broadband grants and loans, split between the Departments of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) within the Commerce Department.
Agriculture has to allocate at least 75 percent of its $3 billion to rural areas without sufficient access to broadband, and these grants must be open-access. NTIA has to give $1 billion for wireless broadband grants and $1.825 billion for broadband deployment grants. At least half of the grants would have to be awarded by Sept. 30, 2009.
NTIA would also get $350 million to track broadband availability and to develop a Web-based broadband inventory map.
