Bob Kerrey: “I am pleased to note that Senate appropriators have restored $10.5 million to the Telecommunications Information…”

“I am pleased to note that Senate appropriators have restored $10.5 million to the Telecommunications Information Infrastructure Assistance Program [TIIAP]. TIIAP is a highly competitive, merit-based, grant program that provides seed money for innovative, practical technology projects across the United States. TIIAP grants help our communities utilize the information technologies that play an increasingly important role in the world economy. Without access to advanced telecommunications services that deliver education, healthcare, social services, and news, individuals and sometimes entire communities are relegated to second-class economic status. Rural and low income regions that already face difficult economic hurdles are pushed even farther behind because they lack the resources to join the information revolution. The Federal assistance provided by TIIAP has already helped many of these areas transition into the information economy. In my home State of Nebraska, TIIAP has helped the city of Crete purchase computers to build an access center where adults are taught computer skills and are given assistance to apply those skills to new jobs.”