CIMBALA@BIONET-20.ARPA ("Michele A. Cimbala") (06/25/87)
As of January 1, 1988, the Federal Communications Commission will start taxing users of interstate telecommunications networks. This surcharge will amount to about ==$5.00/hr/user== and will include networks like Telenet, Compuserve, Genie - any network you use which sends data across state lines. I'm sure you realize how significant a tax like this would be to resources like BIONET. All other arguments aside, this surcharge would amount to NIH grant funds going into the outstretched hands of the FCC. As applied to BIONET, it becomes a tax on research grants. I think that is intolerable. I encourage readers of this message to contact by voice and in writing, their representatives in Congress. This issue is so important. I've listed below the addresses of the officials at the FCC to whom letters should also be sent. The FCC will collect public opinion for about 30 days. There is more information about this issue in two files in my directory which have been ported over from GEnie's Nonprofit Connection bboard and library. Please feel free to read them. They are: <cimbala>npc-genie-fcc.txt and <cimbala>npc-library-fcc.txt. FCC addresses are: The Honorable Dennis R. Patrick Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission Room 814 1919 M Street, NW Washington, DC 20554 and - the person directly handling Computer III (as this is called): Mr. William Maher Room 544, Federal Communications Commission 1919 M Street, NW Washington, DC 20554 (202)632-9342 The general phone number for the FCC is (202)632-7000 and the number for the office handling Computer III is (202)632-6363. --Michele