The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) with a statutory mission to facilitate domestic and international telecommunications and information policy activities. The NTIA works with other executive branch agencies to develop the Administration's position on key policy matters. NTIA further acts as a representative of the Administration in policy areas that include international negotiations regarding global agreements on the Internet and spectrum management, and domestic use of spectrum resources by federal agencies. NTIA is headed by the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, who is appointed by the President and acts as a principal advisor to the President on telecommunications and information policy matters; is the principal executive branch spokesman to Congress, the industry, state and local governments, and the public on such matters; is the key coordinator of the federal government's own communication systems; and is responsible for assisting in the formulation of the nation's overall telecommunications and information policy. The NTIA receives funding from both appropriations and reimbursable obligations, including sources such as fees charged to federal agencies for spectrum management services and reimbursable projects in telecommunications technology research. For budget appropriations purposes, the NTIA organizes its programs into four major program categories for salaries and expenses: Domestic and International Policies, Spectrum Management, Advanced Communications Research, and Broadband Programs. Its budget report to Congress also includes information about NTIA obligations to support public safety, notably for the administration of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet), an entity established by Congress in 2012 as an independent agency within the NTIA. The NTIA fulfills many roles. As the agency responsible for managing spectrum used by federal agencies, the NTIA often works in consultation with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on matters concerning spectrum access, technology, and policy. The FCC regulates private sector, state, local, and tribal spectrum use. Because many spectrum issues are international in scope and negotiated through treaty-making, the NTIA and the FCC collaborate with the Department of State in representing American interests. The NTIA also participates in interagency efforts to develop Internet policy and coordinate Internet-focused initiatives across the federal government. The NTIA and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have adjoining facilities on the DOC campus in Boulder, CO, where they collaborate on research projects with each other and with other federal agencies, such as the FCC. Beginning in 2009, the NTIA administered $4.7 billion in broadband grants funding provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA, P.L. 111-5 ) through its Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP). The NTIA collaborated with NIST, the FCC, and the Department of Homeland Security in providing expertise and guidance to grant recipients using BTOP funds to build new networks for broadband communications. NTIA is scaling down administration of its BTOP grants through 2020 and ramping up its BroadbandUSA program, through which NTIA advises and assists communities with broadband deployment. In performing its various roles, the NTIA administers policies and programs through six main offices. The Office of Spectrum Management (OSM ) . OSM formulates and establishes plans and policies focused on the effective, efficient, and equitable use of spectrum both nationally and internationally. Through the development of long-range spectrum plans, OSM works to address future federal government spectrum requirements, including public safety operations. The OSM also handles the assignment of spectrum to meet the needs of federal agencies, provides spectrum certification for new federal agency telecommunication systems, and supports efforts to repurpose federal spectrum for nonfederal use. The Office of Policy Analysis and Development (OPAD) . OPAD is the domestic policy division of the NTIA. OPAD supports NTIA's role as principal adviser to the executive branch and the Secretary of Commerce on telecommunications and information policies by conducting research and analysis and preparing policy recommendations. The Office of International Affairs (OIA) . OIA develops and implements policies to enhance U.S. companies' ability to compete globally in the information and communications technology (ICT) sectors. In consultation with other U.S. agencies and the U.S. private sector, OIA participates in international and regional fora to promote policies that open ICT markets and encourage competition. OIA supports the DOC's Internet Policy Task Force and NTIA's work with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and Internet policies with international scope. The Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS ) . ITS is the research and engineering laboratory of the NTIA. ITS provides technical support to NTIA in advancing telecommunications and information infrastructure development, enhancing domestic competition, and promoting more efficient and effective use of the radio spectrum. Current areas of focus include research, development, and testing of technologies to support first-responder communications; test and demonstration networks for emerging communications devices; and resolution of interference issues. The Office of Telecommunications and In formation Applications (OTIA) . OTIA administers grant programs that further the deployment and use of technology in America, and the advancement of other national priorities. In the past, OTIA awarded grants from the Public Telecommunications Facilities Program, which was terminated by Congress in FY2011. The OTIA was also responsible for administering BTOP grants. The Office of Public Safety Communications (OPSC) . OPSC was created by the NTIA at the end of 2012 to administer some provisions of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 ( P.L. 112-96 ), Title VI, also known as the Spectrum Act. The office also provides administrative and other support functions for FirstNet. The Obama Administration's FY2017 budget request for the NTIA was $50.8 million for salaries and expenses across the four major program categories: Domestic and International Policies, Spectrum Management, Advanced Communications Research, and Broadband Programs (see Table 1 at the end of this section). This request was $1.6 million more than the FY2016 request of $49.2 million, and $11.3 million more than the FY2016 enacted amount of $39.5 million. For FY2017, as reported by the Senate Committee on Appropriations, S. 2837 , the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017, would have provided $39.5 million for salaries and expenses, equal to the FY2016 funding level. As reported by the House Committee on Appropriations, H.R. 5393 , the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017, would have provided $36.3 million. The Continuing Appropriations and Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017 ( P.L. 114-223 ), provided funding for the NTIA from October 1, 2016 through December 9, 2016, at the FY2016 funding rate subject to a 0.496% across-the-board decrease. The Further Continuing and Security Assistance Appropriations Act, 2017 ( P.L. 114-254 ) provided funding at about 99.8% of the FY2016 funding level for the NTIA through April 28, 2017. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 ( P.L. 115-31 ), signed by the President on May 5, 2017, provides $32.0 million to the NTIA for salaries and expenses, which is $7.5 million (19%) less than the FY2016 enacted amount. For FY2018, the White House's March 2017 budget blueprint signaled support for NTIA's role in multi-stakeholder forums on Internet governance and digital commerce, and agency efforts on efficient use of federal spectrum. The blueprint does not specify any proposed funding cuts for NTIA, though an overall decrease of $1.5 billion from the FY2017 level authorized by P.L. 114-254 is proposed for the Department of Commerce. The Obama Administration's FY2017 budget request for Domestic and International Policies was $15.8 million, a $6.7 million (74.1%) increase over the FY2016 enacted amount of $9.1 million. The request also included an increase in staff from 35 full-time equivalents (FTEs) to 45 FTEs, primarily to deepen expertise for initiatives in Internet policy and the digital economy. Proposed uses of the requested funds spanned a range of activities, including support for the Obama Administration's Digital Economy Leadership Team (DELT), created in 2015; international representation in the ICANN Governmental Advisory Committee and global Internet Governance Forums; the formulation of domestic Internet policy; and facilitation of federal communications networks' transition to technologies using the Internet Protocol (IP). The term digital economy, alternatively the Internet economy, refers in general to the impact of digital technologies and communications on business and the economy. During the Obama Administration, the Department of Commerce established a Digital Economy Agenda that focuses on four areas: promoting a free and open Internet worldwide; promoting trust online; ensuring access to fast broadband for all; and promoting innovation. In support of this agenda, the Department created a Digital Economy Board of Advisors, with members of the inaugural board announced on March 29, 2016, to which the NTIA will provide assistance. On April 6, 2016, the NTIA initiated a notice and request for public comment on "The Benefits, Challenges, and Potential Roles for the Government in Fostering the Advancement of the Internet of Things [IoT]." After analyzing the comments, the NTIA issued a green paper that identifies key issues affecting deployment of these technologies, potential benefits and challenges, and ways in which the federal government could partner with the private sector to foster the advancement of IoT technologies. In January 2017, the NTIA requested public comment on the green paper to inform the Department's approach and future actions regarding IoT.