WASHINGTON-The House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday restored funding for the Office of Technology Policy of the Commerce Department, setting the stage for lawmakers to consider a Bush administration proposal to roll the National Telecommunications and Information Administration into the Technology Administration.
The reorganization proposal, announced in February, likely would dilute NTIA’s power and influence within the Commerce Department. The Commerce Department reorganization legislation is expected to be sent to Capitol Hill by the administration before the end of the week.
Money for the Federal Communications Commission was also included in the same appropriations bill.
Fiscal-year 2004 appropriations to the FCC would be nearly $273 million if the bill passes. This is almost $8 million more than the FCC received in FY03, but still more than $1 million less than President Bush suggested in his budget.
House appropriators also took issue with the FCC using industry funds for travel to trades shows and the agency would no longer be able to do so under legislation.
