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Date:         Thu, 21 Jan 1993 09:04:51 CST
From:         James McDonough <epin@access.digex.com>
Subject:      EPIN Summary

----------------------------Original message----------------------------
       SUMMARY OF ELECTRONIC PUBLIC INFORMATION NEWSLETTER
                  VOL. 3, NO. 1; Jan. 15, 1993


*CSPP Call for a National Information Infrastructure*
The lead article deals with the January Washington D.C. press
conference where the Computer Systems Policy Project (13 computer
companies) called on the new Clinton administration to back the
development and deployment of a National Information Infrastructure
as a "national technology challenge." CSPP called for an
affirmative presidential statement and specific follow-up action,
including:

1. Establishment of a National Information Infrastructure Council
to coordinate and oversee federal NII policy;

2. Designation of a federal agency (or the creation of a new one)
to implement the day to day policy decisions of the Council;

3. Refocus federal research dollars away from defense and toward
research to make possible the NII.

4. Federal funding for demonstration projects in the areas of
healthcare, education, manufacturing and dissemination of
government information to prove the ultimate value of the NII.


*CSPP's Definition of the NII*
A sidebar lays out CSPP's definition of a NII. It sees the NII as
composed of four essential elements: communications networks;
computers; information, and people.

*CSPP Policy Principles*
Another sidebar lays out 11 critical "societal issues" that the
CSPP says must be resolved by government and others for the
successful development and deployment of the NII. Some of the more
important issues include: privacy, security, First Amendment
rights, protection of intellectual property, and carrier liability.


*CNI Also Calls for a NII
A companion article reports of the Coalition of Networked
Information's call to the Clinton administration for a national
information infrastructure policy. This coalition between
universities and libraries also sees the need for aggressive
executive action and leadership. CNI lists a series of concrete
steps to assure the successful development of the NII.

*NSF Awards Internet Service Contracts*
Reports on the recent announcement by the National Science
Foundation that it has selected three companies to provide
information services for the Internet at a cost of $12 million. The
awardees and areas of responsibilities are:
Network Solutions ($5.1 million) for Internet registration
services;
AT&T ($2.2 million) for directory (individuals and databases)
services, and;
General Atomics ($4.75 million) to provide information services for
existing Network Information Centers.
The NSF also said it would allow the three companies, after a
period of discussion and review, to charge fees for these services
to those outside the research and education communities.

*Congressional Record CD-ROM*
Summary of the Government Printing Office report on the
Congressional Record CD-ROM pilot project among the nation's
depository libraries. Librarians gave the Record CD-ROM only a
passing grade, preferring paper over the disc. They also expressed
considerable dissatisfaction with the Record CD-ROM software.

*Internet for the House*
The House of Representatives will be making an Internet email
service available to its members by April. However, the House
Information Systems is not sure now many members will take
advantage of the new service.

*Counterpoint Offers Federal Register via Internet*
Counterpoint Publishing of Cambridge, MA, will soon be offering
same day Federal Register service via the Internet. The company
will charge for the service.
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