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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=kpsconsulting@starpower.net
href="mailto:kpsconsulting@starpower.net">Karen Peltz Strauss</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=coataccess@yahoogroups.com
href="mailto:coataccess@yahoogroups.com">coataccess@yahoogroups.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, March 25, 2010 7:00 AM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> [coataccess] Markey statement on National Broadband Plan
and people with disabilities</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><BR>
<DIV><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE type="cite">
<DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span color=#000080 size=3
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<DIV lang=EN-US vlink="purple" link="blue"><O:SMARTTAGTYPE name="State"
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name="City"
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<DIV class=Section1>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
color=navy size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: navy; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
color=#333333 size=1 face=Verdana><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; COLOR: rgb(51,51,51); FONT-SIZE: 8.5pt"><A
style="COLOR: blue; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"
href="http://markey.house.gov/##"><B><FONT color=#70322e><SPAN
style="COLOR: rgb(112,50,46); FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-DECORATION: none"><IMG
id=_x0000_i1037 border=0 alt="Congressman Ed Markey"
src="cid:8601796FC33F4B6DA572A8EC0BBB3D9E@TILC.local" width=612
height=88></SPAN></FONT></B></A></SPAN></FONT><O:P></O:P></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><B><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman Bold"><SPAN
style="FONT-VARIANT: small-caps; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman Bold'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">For
Immediate
Release Contact:
daniel reilly</SPAN></FONT></B><O:P></O:P></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><B><FONT
color=red size=3 face="Times New Roman Bold"><SPAN
style="FONT-VARIANT: small-caps; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman Bold'; COLOR: red; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">March
16, 2010</SPAN></FONT></B><B><FONT face="Times New Roman Bold"><SPAN
style="FONT-VARIANT: small-caps; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman Bold'; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">
202-225-2836</SPAN></FONT></B><O:P></O:P></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><B><FONT
color=#333333 size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,51); FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><A
style="COLOR: blue; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"
href="http://markey.house.gov">http://markey.house.gov</A> </SPAN></FONT></B><O:P></O:P></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><B><FONT
size=5 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 20pt; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">MARKEY: NATIONAL BROADBAND PLAN
WILL KEEP<ST1:PLACE w:st="on"><ST1:COUNTRY-REGION
w:st="on">AMERICA</ST1:COUNTRY-REGION></ST1:PLACE><SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>CONNECTED AND
COMPETITIVE</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT size=5><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 20pt"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><I><FONT
size=4 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Lawmaker is Author of Mandate
Requiring National Broadband Plan </SPAN></FONT></I><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"> <O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><B><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></B></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><ST1:PLACE
w:st="on"><ST1:CITY w:st="on"><B><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">WASHINGTON</SPAN></FONT></B></ST1:CITY><B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">,<SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><ST1:STATE
w:st="on">D.C.</ST1:STATE></SPAN></B></ST1:PLACE><SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>– Representative Edward J. Markey
(D-Mass.), author of the requirement in the American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act that directed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to develop a
National Broadband Plan, today issued the following statement on the release
of the plan:<O:P></O:P></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">“<B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">The National Broadband Plan will help keep<SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><ST1:PLACE
w:st="on"><ST1:COUNTRY-REGION
w:st="on">America</ST1:COUNTRY-REGION></ST1:PLACE><SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>connected and competitive for
generations to come and will unleash a tidal wave of investment and
innovation,”<SPAN class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN></SPAN></B>said
Markey. “<B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">From upgrading connections to
schools, libraries, and health care facilities, to unlocking new innovation
from an array of ‘energy apps’ for consumers though the Smart Grid, this Plan
will help the<SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><ST1:COUNTRY-REGION
w:st="on"><ST1:PLACE w:st="on">U.S.</ST1:PLACE></ST1:COUNTRY-REGION><SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>tackle key national
challenges</SPAN></B>.”<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><B><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></B></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><B><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">“I commend the FCC for creating
such a visionary Plan. Today, the Commission has given us a roadmap to a
broadband future in which we consume less energy, improve the quality of
health care through the use of technologies such as electronic medical records
and ensure that every American has access to the tools they need to
succeed.”<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></B></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Rep. Markey is a
current senior member and former chairman of the Energy and Commerce
Communications, Technology and the Internet
Subcommittee.<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The Plan includes
several initiatives that Rep. Markey has championed for years. Specifically,
Rep. Markey identified the following initiatives included as Plan
priorities:<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><U><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">E-Rate:<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></U></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The Plan
recommends improving Internet connectivity to schools and libraries by
upgrading the FCC’s E-Rate program to increase flexibility, improve program
efficiency and foster innovation by promoting the most promising solutions and
funding wireless connectivity to learning devices that go home with
students. Rep. Markey was the lead House author of the original E-Rate
program (or “Education Rate”), which was created as a part of the 1996
Telecommunications Act. On February 9, 2010, he introduced the E-Rate
2.0 Act (H.R. 4619) to update this highly successful program and help narrow
the digital divide by increasing the range of the latest telecommunication
services and devices accessible to low-income students. The Plan’s
recommendations on E-Rate are consistent with the provisions of Rep. Markey’s
E-Rate legislation.<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><U><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Ensuring Access to
the Video and Communications Technologies of the 21st Century for People with
Disabilities:<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></U></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">As part of the
strategy to expand broadband access, the Plan calls on Congress, the FCC and
the Justice Department to modernize accessibility laws, rules and related
subsidy programs to ensure that services and equipment are accessible to
people with disabilities. On June 26, 2009, Rep. Markey re-introduced his
comprehensive disabilities communications legislation, The Twenty-first
Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (H.R. 3101), which amends
the Communications Act to ensure that new Internet-enabled telephone and
television products and services are accessible to and usable by people with
disabilities. Rep. Markey’s bill will also close existing disability
gaps in telecommunications law to ensure access to the latest communications,
video equipment and services for people with
disabilities.<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><U><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><O:P><SPAN
style="TEXT-DECORATION: none"></SPAN></O:P></SPAN></FONT></U></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><U><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Saving
Energy:<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></U></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Today, Rep. Markey
is also introducing the Electricity Consumers’ Right to Know Act (e-KNOW) to
establish consumers’ right to access their electricity information.
Encouraging energy efficiency and conservation in our homes and businesses is
one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to strengthen our energy
security and reduce global warming pollution. The e-KNOW bill ensures that
electric utility consumers have access to free, timely, and secure data
regarding their electricity prices and usage patterns so they can take charge
of their energy use and save money on utility bills. Rep. Markey’s
e-KNOW legislation fulfills two key recommendations of the Plan; specifically,
the Plan recommends Congress consider national legislation to cover consumer
privacy and ensure consumers’ accessibility to their energy data, and the
e-KNOW bill would do exactly that. Rep. Markey’s e-KNOW bill also adopts the
Plan’s recommendation that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission develop
national standards for consumer energy data accessibility that will help
utilities and state regulatory agencies formulate their
policies.<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><U><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Modernizing Health
Care:<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></U></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The Plan cites
Rep. Markey’s<SPAN class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><ST1:PLACE
w:st="on"><ST1:CITY w:st="on">Independence</ST1:CITY></ST1:PLACE><SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>at Home Act (H.R. 2560) introduced in
May 2009 as an example of the type of outcomes-based health care reforms that
the Department of Health and Human Services should evaluate. The<ST1:PLACE
w:st="on"><ST1:CITY w:st="on">Independence</ST1:CITY></ST1:PLACE><SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>at Home program uses so-called
“e-care” technology applications such as remote monitoring of blood pressure,
weight and other health factors to help enable chronically ill patients to be
treated in the comfort of their own homes. The Plan specifies that an<SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><ST1:PLACE w:st="on"><ST1:CITY
w:st="on">Independence</ST1:CITY></ST1:PLACE><SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>at Home pilot program could serve as
an ideal venue for evaluating remote monitoring in order to understand its
impact on quality, data capture and cost savings. Both the House and Senate
health care reform bills include the<SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><ST1:PLACE w:st="on"><ST1:CITY
w:st="on">Independence</ST1:CITY></ST1:PLACE><SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>at Home demonstration
program.<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"># #
#<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
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size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
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color=navy size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: navy; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></DIV></DIV></O:SMARTTAGTYPE></O:SMARTTAGTYPE></O:SMARTTAGTYPE></O:SMARTTAGTYPE></DIV></SPAN></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR></BODY></HTML>