From: WALL%UMKCVAX1.BITNET@PSUVM.PSU.EDU (Deborah Wall - UMKC Computing Services)
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.govdoc-l
Subject: fwd: Electronic Access to Congress
Date: 12 Nov 92 19:28:50 GMT
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
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----------------------------Original message----------------------------
This message was routed to me, it seems like a project document
librarians and those interested in document collections should be
involved with:

}
} from: Frank Odasz, Director of Big Sky Telegraph
}       franko@bigsky.dillon.mt.us
}
} RE: I'd like to invite everyone interested to respond directly
} to my Internet ID (above) regarding the following congressional
} request for input! CoSN members can be particularly helpful with
} the POLICY questions toward the end of the list! Please feel free
} to disseminate the following.
}
} Congressional input for this study can also be forwarded to Tom
} Grundner at Cleveland Freenet - telnet 129.22.8.76 or telnet
} 129.22.8.75. Tom's voice number is 216-368-2733. Tom is focusing
} on gathering urban input while Big Sky Telegraph is gathering
} rural input. EVERYONE is invited to contribute to this study.
} Feel free to add your own questions and answers and/or to answer
} the listed questions in whatever manner suits you.
}
}      CONGRESSIONAL OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT STUDY AND
}                  WESTERN'S BIG SKY TELEGRAPH
}           CONNECT ELECTRONICALLY TO CITIZENS FOR INPUT.
}
} The US Congressional Office of Technology Assessment is
} conducting a major study and has contracted with BIG SKY
} TELEGRAPH of Western Montana College to solicate from citizens
} suggestions regarding the potential of information technology to
} allow the Federal government to be more responsive to rural and
} small town America in the dissemination of Federal services and
} information. BILLIONS of your tax dollars are spent each year
} disseminating Federal services and information!
}
} THE CHALLENGE:
} "Electronic technologies might reduce the need for some layers of
} bureaucracy, help bring government services more directly to the
} citizens, and, by so doing, provide better services more
} cheaply."
}
} One goal of this study is to determine if citizens CARE enough to
} respond to the opportunity to advise congress DIRECTLY, if given
} the opportunity. This IS YOUR opportunity! The hope is that
} grassroots input will provide innovative ideas and approaches.
}
} EVERYONE interested is invited to respond to ANY or ALL of
} the following questions and engage in online discussions with any
} of the other participants. Access to Big Sky Telegraph is
} available at no charge using a modem at 406-683-7680. Select
} M)essages from the Main Menu, then select the USCONGRESS
} conference. Big Sky Telegraph's voice number is 406-683-7870.
}
} The conference will be held from September 1 - December 1, 1992,
} solicating online written comments and opinions from teacher,
} student, and citizen users of Big Sky Telegraph. All messages
} will be printed and included as appendices to the study. A
} summary 30-40 page double-spaced report from Big Sky Telegraph is
} due in draft form Nov. 9, the final report is due Dec. 18, 1992.
}
} PLEASE share your views on the following questions, and feel free
} to ask your OWN!
}
} 1. What are citizen needs and desires for the electronic
}    services?
}
} 2. If the appropriate technology were in place, what would
}    citizens like to be able to DO and how would their lives
}    improve?
}
} 3. What are the opportunities for improvement in the productivity
}    and efficiency of service and information delivery?
}
} 4. What problems might arise with both service provider and
}    citizen acceptance of electronic delivery?
}
} 5. What might be the requirements for education, training,
}    and equipping of recipients?
}
} 6. How would electronic access impact users who are senior
}    citizens, or disabled, or who live in rural settings?
}
} 7. What might be the requirements for training of service
}    providers?
}
} 8. What services that are reasonably representative of the types
}     of Federal services provided to small towns might be best
}     suited to electronic delivery?
}
} 9. What services and technical applications might highlight
}    opportunities for innovation in service delivery?
}
} 10. What are the prerequisites of successful implementations with
}    attention to facilitators and inhibitors of innovations?
}
} 11. How might the services, delivery mechanisms, and related
}     policy/management frameworks be redesigned?
}
} EDUCATIONAL APPLICATIONS:  What should the federal policy
} be with regard to supporting K-12 and other educational
} applications using computer networks?
}
} 1. What computer network or information services could the
}   federal government provide access to which would make our
}   K-12 schools better?
}
} 2. Does the federal government have an obligation to provide more
}   than access to services, must it also insure equitable access
}   to these services for all schools and provide the necessary
}   training to use these services effectively?
}
} 3. Should the federal government have a responsibility to assist
}   in corporate and business training programs, or should it stop
}   at the K-12 or college levels?
}
} POLICY QUESTIONS: (These questions may be too technical for some
} people.)
}
} 1. What might be the requirements for the government
}    telecommunication and computing technology infrastructure
}    needed to support electronic delivery, including appropriate
}    technical standards to ensure systems compatibility and
}    interoperability?
}
} 2. What consistency of electronic service delivery innovations
}    exists with the current policy/management framework?
}
} 3. What policy/management changes that may be needed to implement
}    technology-enhanced service delivery to rural/small town
}    America?
}
} How could electronically delivered service applications be
} implemented to take into account the following policy/mangagement
} considerations?
}
} 1. equity of electronic access to Federal services
}
} 2. protection of citizen privacy in Federal record systems
}
} 3. prevention/detection of fraud, waste, and abuse in program
}    management and service delivery
}
} 4. protection of the security and integrity of systems used for
}    electronic service delivery
}
} 5. appropriate retention and archiving of records and information
}    related to electronic service delivery
}
} 6. consistency with annual and five-year agency planning for
}    telecommunications and information resource management
}
} 7. relationship to agency automation programs and activities
}
} 8. relationship to FTS2000, NREN, and other Federal information
}    technology programs
}
} 9. opportunities presented by electronic service delivery for
}    synergy/economies of scale across Federal agencies/programs,
}    across Federal/State/local levels of government
}
} 10. opportunities for cooperation with the private sector
}     (service providers, computer/telecommunications providers,
}     profit and nonprofit)
}
} 11. opportunities for telework, telecommuting
}
} Frank Odasz                      \   /    ^     IMAGINATION
} Western Montana College, Dillon, - O -   / \  ^  is more
} MT, 59725 Voice:406-683-7338     /   \ ^/~~~\/~\  than knowledge.
} Internet:franko@bigsky.dillon.mt.us  /   \    \  \
} fidonet: 1:346/3 Fax 406-683-7493     / \    \  \ -Albert Einstein.


Deborah Wall                            User Services Support Supervisor
Academic Computing Services             University of Missouri - Kansas City
Internet Addr:  wall@vax1.umkc.edu      Bitnet Addr: wall@umkcvax1
Phone Number:   (816) 235-1184          10am - 7pm Central Time
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU