Rep. Thomas Tancredo (R-Colo.) introduced legislation March 12 that would “terminate the e-rate program of the Federal Communications Commission,” which subsidizes telecommunications costs for schools and libraries. The E-Rate Termination Act (H.R. 1252), which currently has four cosponsors, has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. ALA’s Washington Office notes that Tancredo introduced this bill in the last Congress to no success.
Tancredo’s proposal comes as Rep. W. Billy Tauzin (R-La.), chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee, has announced that he will conduct oversight hearings on the e-rate program, with a focus on “waste, fraud and abuse.” Tauzin’s committee requested detailed information March 13 from the FCC on its oversight of the program.
Posted March 24, 2003.