Congress released details of a compromise stimulus package Thursday night, a bill that includes $7.2 billion for broadband programs, $2 billion for health information technology, and $650 million for the digital TV transition.
The House passed its version of the stimulus bill in late January, and the Senate followed suit earlier this week. Given the discrepancies in the two bills, both chambers appointed representatives to hammer out a compromise bill known as a conference report. It covers funding for a wide variety of programs, many of which have tech components.
The House approved the stimulus package Friday with a vote of 246 to 183, and it now moves to the Senate for final passage. Broadband
The $7.2 billion for broadband grants is less than the $9 billion originally proposed in the Senate, but more than the $6 billion requested by the House.
The funds are split between the Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service – which gets $2.5 billion – and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) within the Commerce Department, which gets $4.7 billion.
NTIA must spend at least $200 million of that money on grants that would expand broadband access at public computer centers like community colleges and libraries. Another $250 million has to go toward grants for innovative programs that would encourage the sustainable adoption of broadband services.
An additional $350 million would be used to develop a broadband inventory map so the government could keep tabs on where high-speed Internet service has been deployed. Commerce has the power to transfer some of its money to the Federal Communications Commission, which would develop a national broadband plan.
Funds for the DTV transition remained at $650 million, though only $90 million of that can be spent on educational and outreach efforts. Some of that money can also be transferred to the FCC.
A Senate amendment that would have provided 20 percent tax credits to companies that build out next-generation Internet services was stripped from the conference report. With the buildout of its FiOS network, Verizon would have saved millions.
The House passed its version of the stimulus bill in late January, and the Senate followed suit earlier this week. Given the discrepancies in the two bills, both chambers appointed representatives to hammer out a compromise bill known as a conference report. It covers funding for a wide variety of programs, many of which have tech components.
The House approved the stimulus package Friday with a vote of 246 to 183, and it now moves to the Senate for final passage. Broadband
The $7.2 billion for broadband grants is less than the $9 billion originally proposed in the Senate, but more than the $6 billion requested by the House.
The funds are split between the Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service – which gets $2.5 billion – and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) within the Commerce Department, which gets $4.7 billion.
NTIA must spend at least $200 million of that money on grants that would expand broadband access at public computer centers like community colleges and libraries. Another $250 million has to go toward grants for innovative programs that would encourage the sustainable adoption of broadband services.
An additional $350 million would be used to develop a broadband inventory map so the government could keep tabs on where high-speed Internet service has been deployed. Commerce has the power to transfer some of its money to the Federal Communications Commission, which would develop a national broadband plan.
Funds for the DTV transition remained at $650 million, though only $90 million of that can be spent on educational and outreach efforts. Some of that money can also be transferred to the FCC.
A Senate amendment that would have provided 20 percent tax credits to companies that build out next-generation Internet services was stripped from the conference report. With the buildout of its FiOS network, Verizon would have saved millions.
