Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Policy Tracker

Shaheen, Kamen back STEM grants; USDA uses stimulus to fund broadband projects

Shaheen and Kamen back STEM grants
U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and inventor Dean Kamen have proposed legislation to create a competitive grant program for what they are calling non-traditional science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) educational programs.

Shaheen and Kamen cited the FIRST robotics competition, which Kamen founded in 1989, as an example of a non-traditional program that is designed to interest young people in STEM-related careers.  “STEM-related fields will offer some of the best career opportunities for our students and by preparing our young people for these jobs we can help position our economy to grow for years to come,” said Shaheen at a press conference with Kamen.

Kamen said, “It is essential that our work force is trained in science, technology, engineering, and math education programs in order to compete in this global economy.”
— MHT

USDA uses stimulus to fund broadband projects
The U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded $1.2 billion in economic stimulus funds to 126 broadband infrastructure projects in rural areas around the country.

The loans and grants will leverage an additional $117 million in private investment.

This is USDA’s second round of funding for economic stimulus broadband projects.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the projects “will give rural Americans access to the tools they need to attract new businesses, jobs, health care and educational opportunities.”

USDA and the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration received a total of $7.2 billion in economic stimulus funds to encourage broadband access and adoption. They must obligate all of this money by Sept. 30.

This deadline could lead to some problems, according to the Government Accountability Office. The agencies could face pressure to award all of the funds on time, and they will have to oversee more and larger projects than they funded in their earlier rounds, according to the GAO report. They may not have enough resources to actively monitor these projects, the GAO concluded.
— Kent Hoover, ACBJ Wire Service