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Congressional Report Criticizes E-Rate Program AdministrationConcluding a two-year investigation into the federal e-rate program—which provides discounts on telecommunication costs for libraries and schools—a congressional subcommittee released a critical report October 18 calling for more rigorous oversight to ensure the program’s funds are properly used.In Waste, Fraud, and Abuse Concerns with the E-Rate Program, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations described a “well-intentioned program that nonetheless is extremely vulnerable to waste, fraud, and abuse, is poorly managed by the FCC, and completely lacks tangible measures of either effectiveness or impact.” “We simply cannot allow self-interested vultures and incompetent administrators to undermine this essential program,” said Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), according to an October 18 Associated Press report. Among the committee’s suggestions to improve the $2.25-billion program: establish concrete and achievable goals and measures of effectiveness, incorporate the Government Accounting Office’s recommendations for the Federal Communications Commission, set up a structure that encourages greater accountability of participants, immediately undertake statistically significant auditing, and incorporate a more robust competitive bidding structure. Also on October 18, the American Library Association’s Washington Office submitted comments to the FCC outlining a plan to simplify the program’s application and disbursement process. “The past eight years of program history have shown that political controversy and administrative change create confusion among applicants, declining program participation, and major delays in the application and disbursement process. E-rate must be a stable and predictable source of funding,” ALA urged. Posted October 21, 2005. |
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