Updated: Public Meeting on ARRA Broadband Initiatives

Public Meeting on ARRA Broadband Initiatives

National Telecommunications and Information Administration, Department of Commerce
Rural Development, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Federal Communications Commission
March 10, 2009
10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), Department of Agriculture's Office of Rural Development, and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will host a public meeting on March 10, 2009, in connection with the Broadband Initiatives funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was signed into law on February 17, 2009. The Broadband Initiatives funded in the Act are intended to accelerate broadband deployment in unserved, underserved, and rural areas and to strategic institutions that are likely to create jobs or provide significant public benefits.

NTIA, Rural Development, and the Federal Communications Commission will host a public meeting to discuss the broadband initiatives funded by the Act, including the new Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, the new Rural Development Broadband Program, and the development of a National Broadband Plan.

Agenda

Welcome and Host
Anna Gomez, Acting Administrator, NTIA, U.S. Department of Commerce

President Obama's Broadband Strategy
Tom Vilsack, Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Remarks from the Federal Communications Commission
Michael J. Copps, Acting Chairman, Federal Communications Commission

Remarks from U.S. Department of Commerce
Rick Wade, Senior Advisor and Acting Chief of Staff, U.S. Department of
Commerce

Broadband Initiatives: Statutory Requirements & Timelines

Moderator: Mark Seifert, Senior Advisor, NTIA

• Dr. Bernadette McGuire-Rivera, Associate Administrator, NTIA
• David Villano, Assistant Administrator for Telecommunication Programs,
• USDA Rural Development
• Scott M. Deutchman, Acting Senior Legal Advisor to Acting Chairman Copps, FCC

Comments from the Public

Adjourn

Interested parties wishing to submit questions or comments in advance of
the meeting may do so by emailing them to:
Barbara Brown, NTIA, at bbrown@ntia.doc.gov;
Christi Shewman, FCC, at Christi.Shewman@fcc.gov; or
Mary Campanola, USDA, at mary.campanola@usda.gov.

The public meeting agenda, information about the new program, and a webcast of the meeting will be available:

NTIA's website at http://www.ntia.doc.gov/broadbandgrants

Rural Development's website at http://www.usda.gov/rurdev

FCC's website at http://www.fcc.gov.

This will be the first of several Public Meetings. Public attendance at the meeting is limited to space available.

Members of the public will have an opportunity to ask questions at the meeting.

The meeting will be physically accessible to people with disabilities. Individuals requesting accommodations, such as sign language interpretation or other ancillary aids, are asked to indicate this to Barbara Brown at least two (2) days prior to the meeting.