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ACM WASHINGTON UPDATE
U.S. Office of Public Policy of the
Association for Computing Machinery
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February 3, 1998
Volume 2.1
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CONTENTS
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INTRODUCTION
ACM POLICY 98 CONFERENCE
POLICY BRIEFS
Commerce Proposal on Internet Domain Name Registration
FY99 Budget Proposed for Next Generation Internet Program
21st Century Research Fund Established
Enhancing Learning and Education Through Technology
Research and Experimentation Tax Credit Extension Proposed
CA. Bill Addresses Year 2000 Problem
Congressional Science Policy Study
Ca. CEOs Criticize Feinstein's Position on Cryptography
Nominations and New Appointments
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INTRODUCTION
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The Association for Computing Machinery is an international professional
society whose 75,000 members (60,000 in the U.S.) represent a critical mass
of computer scientists in education, industry, and government. The USACM
provides a means for promoting dialogue on technology policy issues with
United States policy makers and the general public. The WASHINGTON UPDATE
will report on activities in Washington which may be of interest to those
in the computing and information policy communities and will highlight
USACM's involvement in many of these issues.
To subscribe to the ACM WASHINGTON UPDATE send an e-mail to
listserv@acm.org with "subscribe WASHINGTON-UPDATE" (no quotes) in the body
of the message. Back issues are available at http://www.acm.org/usacm
For information about joining the Association for Computing, see:
http://www.acm.org/membership/join.html
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ACM 1998 CONFERENCE
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ACM POLICY '98
"Shaping Policy in the Information Age"
May 10-12, 1998
Washington Renaissance Hotel
Washington, DC
The leading professional society in computing will hold its 1998 conference
in Washington, DC and focus on public policy issues affecting future
applications of computing.
Our goal is to promote ongoing engagement between computing professionals
and policy makers to further the productive use of computing and
information processing innovations. Computing professionals can become
more influential if they are more informed about political processes and
issues. Policy makers can be more effective if they have access to
technical experts who can provide thoughtful testimony and offer a wider
range of options.
Attendees at ACM Policy 98 will exchange ideas with prominent leaders from
academia, industry, Congress, and Executive agencies. Join us on May 10,
1998 to explore the ethical and social issues related to computer
technology, participate in the debate between Esther Dyson and Gary
Chapman, and honor computing professionals at the ACM Awards Banquet. Then
on May 11-12, 1998 listen as national leaders present their reports:
Speakers include:
+Representatives Vern Ehlers, House Science Committee
"Congressional Report: Reformulating US Science Policy"
+Constance Morella, House Science Committee
"Congressional Report: The Role of the Federal Government in
Computing"
+Juris Hartmanis, National Science Foundation
"Academic Report: The Role of the NSF in Computing Policy
+Esther Dyson and Gary Chapman
"Media Views of the Future of Computing"
+John Gage, Founder of NetDay
Keynote, ACM Awards Banquet
Policy Panels:
+ Electronic Commerce
+ Intellectual Property
+ Learning Online
+ Universal Service
Ethics and Social Impact Sessions:
+Kids Online: Home, School, and the Web
+Privacy: Lost in Cyberspace?
+Point and Counterpoint: Media Views of the Future of Computing
For Conference and Registration information see:
http://www.acm.org/usacm/events/policy98/
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POLICY BRIEFS
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COMMERCE PROPOSAL ON INTERNET DOMAIN NAME REGISTRATION
On January 30, the National Telecommunications & Information Administration
(NTIA) issued a draft report on the future of the domain name registration
system. The report proposes privatizing the DNS registration system to
introduce competition into its management. According to the Commerce
Department, "Our goal is to transition to private sector management of
Internet names and addresses in a way that maintains the stability of the
Internet; that is competitive, encouraging innovation and maximizing
individual freedom; that results in private, bottom-up coordination; and
that reflects that diversity of the Internet's users and their needs."
The report proposes the creation of a new not-for-profit corporation which
would set policy for the allocation of number blocks to regional number
registries; oversee operation of the root server system; determine when new
top-level-domain names should be added to the root system; and coordinate
development of protocol parameters for the Internet. It also proposes to
create competition among registries that manage top-level domains and among
registrars who provide services to Internet end users; and terminate the
existing surcharge on Internet registration now allocated to the Internet
Intellectual Infrastructure Fund.
In the Fall, the Commerce Department sought public input on issues relating
to the overall framework for the registration of domain names, the creation
of new top level domains, policies for registrars, and trademark issues.
The more than 430 comments received formed the basis of the new report.
According to the Commerce department, "it is intended to elicit comment
from the stakeholder community and will be published in the Federal
Register to give all interested parties an opportunity to participate in
the process."
Comments on the draft should be mailed to U.S. Department of Commerce,
NTIA/OIA, 14th and Constitution, NW, Room 4701, Washington, DC 20230 or
e-mailed to dns@ntia.doc.gov. (The Federal Register notice will establish
the official deadline for when comments must be received.)
The report can be found at:
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/domainname/domainname130.htm
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FY99 BUDGET PROPOSED FOR NEXT GENERATION INTERNET PROGRAM
President Clinton's proposed budget appropriates $110 million in FY99 for
the "Next Generation Internet" (NGI) program. In FY98, Congress only
allocated $85 million of the $105 million Clinton requested for the NGI.
However Clinton advisors have indicated they will push much harder to have
the full amount approved this year. They are urging Universities to help
them promote the development of the NGI. Clinton mentioned the NGI project
in his State of the Union address along with other computing issues
including online security and privacy.
It is anticipated the NGI will cost $500 million or more over five years
and will operate at speeds up to 1,000 times faster than today's Internet.
This will enable greater usage of live audio and video feeds to home
internet users.
For the State of the Union Address see:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/SOTU98/address.html
For information on the President's proposed budget for the NGI see:
http://frwebgate2.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate.cgi?WAISdocID=3741026880+1+0+0
&WAISaction=retrieve
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21st CENTURY RESEARCH FUND ESTABLISHED
On January 29, the White House introduced "The 21st Century Research Fund"
which will be the centerpiece of the Administration's research and
development budget. Its purpose is to "lead to major, sustained increases
in a wide range of civilian science and technology investments."
The Fund will only support civilian research investments, and does not
include defense R&D or major development programs. The White House expects
the Fund's budget would grow from $31 billion in 1999 to $38 billion in
2003. Included in the Fund's budget is 3.7 billion for the National
Science Foundation, 10 percent more than in 1998, and $851 million for the
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Advanced Technology
Program, for the construction of an Advanced Measurement Laboratory on the
NIST campus in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and for Oceanic and Atmospheric
Research activities. The fund will also increase the budget of the
Advanced Technology Program from $182 million in 1998 to $399 million by
2003.
For a fact sheet on The 21st Century Research Fund see:
http://www.pub.whitehouse.gov/uri-res/I2R?urn:pdi://oma.eop.gov.us/1998/2/2/7.te
xt.1
For More information on Science and Technology Funding in the President's
budget see:
http://frwebgate2.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate.cgi?WAISdocID=37699267+4+0+0&W
AISaction=retrieve
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ENHANCING LEARNING AND EDUCATION THROUGH TECHNOLOGY
President Clinton is initiating a comprehensive project to investigate how
to make full use of emerging technologies to improve the cost-effectiveness
and the quality of Federal training programs. According to the White
House. "Federal programs that provide financial support for lifelong
learning should adapt to the new opportunities technology provides. A
Federal Government-wide effort is needed to explore how Federal programs
and initiatives can better support the use of technologies for lifelong
learning." Industry, universities, labor unions, and other stakeholders
will be consulted in the development of the strategy.
The National Economic Council (NEC), in consultation with the Chief
Information Officers Council (CIOC), the Office of Personnel Management
(OPM), and the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), will
investigate how to: make full use of best commercial practices when
purchasing instructional software; work with businesses, universities, and
other appropriate entities to foster a competitive market for electronic
instruction; develop a model technical approach to facilitate electronic
instruction building on existing agency efforts, such as the Advanced
Distributed Learning Initiative Partnership; and develop and support a
program of research that will accelerate the development and adoption of
new instructional technologies. They will produce a plan in 6 months
"identifying areas in which technology-enhanced training and learning may
complement conventional Federal training and learning."
The Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Labor will also work
together to promote adoption of "the best new ways of using technology to
enhance training and education in programs that provide Federal support for
education and training that can be offered in a manner that is efficient,
affordable, and convenient".
For the White House press release see:
http://www.pub.whitehouse.gov/uri-res/I2R?urn:pdi://oma.eop.gov.us/1998/2/2/4.te
xt.1
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RESEARCH AND EXPERIMENTATION TAX CREDIT EXTENSION PROPOSED
On January 29, Vice President Gore announced that the Administration will
propose extending the Research and Experimentation (R&E) tax credit for one
year, at a cost of $2.2 billion. The R&E credit is designed to stimulate
private sector investment in research and development. This incentive
provides a 20 percent tax credit based on the increase in a firm's research
and development. The R&E credit is currently scheduled to expire on June
30, 1998; the Administration's proposal would extend it to June 30, 1999.
According to the White House, the R&E credit "encourages technological
advancement, leads to higher productivity, and helps generate new American
jobs."
For the White House press release see:
http://www.pub.whitehouse.gov/uri-res/I2R?urn:pdi://oma.eop.gov.us/1998/2/2/2.te
xt.1
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CA BILL ADDRESSES YEAR 2000 PROBLEM
On January 28, California Assemblyman Firestone introduced A.B. 1710 which
would limit recovery in actions for damages resulting from the year 2000
problem (Y2K). This legislation anticipates the numerous expected
"computer date failures" which will occur in machines which incorrectly
process the turn-of-the-century, 1999-to-2000 date change. A.B. 1710 would
limit damages to those resulting from bodily injury and the reasonable
costs of correcting the bug itself.
For the full text of the legislation see
ftp://ftp.aimnet.com/pub/users/carroll/law/computer/ab1710.txt
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CONGRESSIONAL SCIENCE POLICY STUDY
Representative Ehlers (R-MI) of the House Science Committee is continuing
his "Science Policy Study" designed to "conduct a comprehensive review of
our national science policy and develop a new, sensible, coherent
long-range science and technology policy." Ehlers will be discussing the
study in a "Congressional Report: Reformulating US Science Policy" at the
ACM Policy 98 conference in May.
http://www.acm.org/usacm/events/policy98/gfxAgenda.html
Ehlers has stated that " it is very important for us to have a national
science policy that reflects that change in atmosphere between the U.S. and
the rest of the world, that reflects the change in science, that reflects
the change in foreign relations, and that, in particular, reflects the
change in economic structures in the world today."
Ehlers has raised a number of questions for consideration in the study
including: "1. On what broad national goals should federal science policy
be based? 2. (a) What is the government's role in supporting basic and
applied research? (b) How can the government best encourage an effective
level of industry investment in pre-competitive research? 3. How can the
nation enhance and make the most effective use of
government/university/industry research partnerships? 4. What is the most
effective role for the states in supporting university research, and how
can the federal government best support that role? 5. (a) Given the
increasingly international nature of science, how can the nation best
benefit from and contribute to international cooperation in research? (b)
What types of multilateral science agreements are needed to facilitate
international collaboration? 6. How can the federal government best help
meet national needs for science and math education at all levels? 7. How
can the nation most effectively leverage federally funded R&D in the face
of increasingly constrained resources?"
Ehlers is soliciting citizen participation in the formulation of this
report. The House Science Committee web site for the Science Policy Study
contains the questions listed above, background materials, and other items
of interest.
For more information on the Science Policy Study see:
http://www.house.gov/science/science_policy_study.htm
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CA. CEOS CRITICIZE FEINSTEIN'S POSITION ON CRYPTOGRAPHY
On January 15, dozens of California CEOs sent a letter to Senator
Feinstein (D-CA) in response to comments made by Feinstein at a Senate
Judiciary Committee hearing implying that California companies were
ambivalent on her strong stance against the liberalization of export
controls on cryptography and her promotion of mandatory key recovery
policies.
The letter stated, "We are in the midst of a transformation of our society
into an era where information technology is affecting and improving all of
our lives and all of our businesses. Without effective security we put at
risk the confidentiality of our intellectual property, the public's privacy
and the nation's critical infrastructure. And none of us will be able to
take full advantage of the opportunities being presented to us by the
promise of global electronic commerce." The letter further stated,
"Mandatory key recovery policies, domestically and for export, will make
the United States a second class nation in the Information Age."
http://www.acm.org/usacm/crypto/cal-ceo-letter.html
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NOMINATIONS AND NEW APPOINTMENTS
On January 29, President Clinton announced his intent to appoint Mort
Topfer and Jerome Davis as Members to the Advisory Committee on the
President's Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection. The
Commission's charge is to "protect certain national infrastructures
including: telecommunications, electrical power systems, gas and oil
storage transportation, banking and finance, transportation, water supply
systems, emergency services, and continuity of government from threats both
physical and cyber."
Mort Topfer, of Austin, Texas, is currently Vice-Chairman of Dell Computer
Corporation. Jerome Davis, of Columbus, Indiana, is currently Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer of Noxtech, Inc., an environmental technology
development and marketing company.
On January 26, President Clinton announced his intent to appoint John M.
Deutch as a Member of the President's Committee of Advisors on Science and
Technology. PCAST was created to "advise the President on matters involving
science and technology, and to assist the National Science and Technology
Council in securing private sector involvement in its activities."
John M. Deutch, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, is Institute Professor in the
Department of Chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(M.I.T.).
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Washington Update is a biweekly publication of the U.S. Public Policy
Office of the Association for Computing http://www.acm.org/usacm 666
Pennsylvania Ave., SE, Suite 302B, Washington, DC 20003. 202/544-4859
(tel), 202/547-5482 (fax).
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