Dems Go Virtual to Promote New Agenda

DEMS GO VIRTUAL TO PROMOTE NEW AGENDA
[SOURCE: Internetnews.com, AUTHOR: Roy Mark]
As the 110th Congress performed its first-day rituals Thursday, California Rep. George Miller temporarily left his first life on the floor of the U.S. House to conduct a Second Life press conference. Using the popular virtual world site as a forum to promote the new majority Democrats' "100 Hours" of legislation, Miller called for a bill with strong network neutrality provisions. "If it weren't for [Democrats] we wouldn't have won the temporary victory with the AT&T-BellSouth merger," Miller said. "The question is are these forms of communication going to be fully available to everyone?" Democrats are expected to introduce new network neutrality bills in the next few weeks. Rep Miller, chairman of the Democratic Policy Committee, also threw his support behind legislation that would require Congress to post on the Internet any bill at least 72 hours before a vote. The Internet posting would also have to include any "earmarks," the controversial funding method for lawmakers' favorite projects, attached to the legislation. Unlike the current three-day rule, the 72 Online rule would apply even in the final week of a congressional session, when the worst abuses of approving legislation and earmarks often occur.
http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/3652136