June 2005 Government Affairs Update

 

IN THIS ISSUE …

 

1.                  FGDC Steering Committee News

2.                  Association Health Care Legislation Update

3.                  Federal Prison Industry Reform News

 

 

FGDC Steering Committee

A meeting of the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Steering Committee was recently held. ACSM was brought on this year as a partner. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the progress of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI), the introduction of the Fifty States Initiative, as well as the launch of the National Geospatial Programs Office (NGPO) and a demonstration of the Geodata.gov 2 Portal. Unfortunately, because of time restraints, we were not able to discuss the NGPO or the Geodata Portal.

 

Progress of NSDI – Based upon suggestions made at previous meetings, the FGDC proposed three recommendations: (1) enhance the role and functions of the FGDC; (2) establish a National Geospatial Coordination Council (NGCC) to provide national leadership for the NSDI; and (3) improve oversight and management of federal geospatial programs and investments. The Steering Committee voted to move forward with recommendations 1 and 3, but to hold off on recommendation 2 until a future meeting.

 

Fifty States Initiative --- The Steering Committee also discussed the proposed Fifty States Initiative. The goal of the 50 States Initiative is as follows: “by 2006, fifty State Coordination Councils are in place and routinely contributing to the governance of the NSDI.” The 50 States Initiative was created by the FGDC and the National States Geographic Information Council as a component of the NSDI Future Directions planning process. The new Statewide Coordination Councils will include membership from a broad range of organizations; including public, private, tribal, non-profit and professional associations, involved in geospatial issues within each state. The Fifty States Team recommended approval of the 50 States Initiative Action Plan, and the Steering Committee voted to approve the Plan.

 

Association Health Care Legislation Update

We received a number of questions recently regarding the status of the Association Health Care legislation. Presently, Congress is still trying to work through a version of the legislation that the House and the Senate can agree upon. There is, however, a House and Senate version of the Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2005 which is working through both chambers. Additionally, the House has introduced a number of bills relating to health care plans for small businesses that are each a little different in their own way. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) recently introduced the “Access to Affordable Health Care Act”, S. 1225, which is intended to expand access to affordable health care to underserved areas and to small businesses. ACSM will work through each of the relevant bill and will discuss this issue further in future Government Affairs Updates.

 

Federal Prison Industry Reform News

The Hoekstra –Frank--Malony—Sensenbrenner – Conyers -- Coble Federal Prison Industries Competition in Contracting Act of 2005, H.R.2965, was recently introduced and is on the fast track for consideration. The purpose of the bill is to amend title 18, United States Code, to require Federal Prison Industries to compete for its contracts minimizing its unfair competition with private sector firms and their non-inmate workers and empowering Federal agencies to get the best value for taxpayers' dollars, to provide a five-year period during which Federal Prison Industries adjusts to obtaining inmate work opportunities through other than its mandatory source status, to enhance inmate access to remedial and vocational opportunities and other rehabilitative opportunities to better prepare inmates for a successful return to society, to authorize alternative inmate work opportunities in support of non-profit organizations and other public service programs, and for other purposes.

Like the Senate bill, there is specific language in the bill that prohibits federal prisoners from having access to sensitive personal information and geographic data. ACSM will work with FPI Reform Coalition groups to support the House and Senate bill and to keep the relevant language in both versions of the legislation.

 

Junk Fax Legislation

Congress recently passed the Junk Fax Prevention Act of 2005, S. 714. The legislation amends the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit a person from using any telephone facsimile (fax) machine, computer, or other device to send, to another fax machine, an unsolicited advertisement to a person who has requested that such sender not send such advertisements, or to any other person unless: (1) the sender has an established business relationship with the person; and (2) the advertisement contains a conspicuous notice on its first page that the recipient may request not to be sent any further unsolicited advertisements, and includes a domestic telephone and fax number (neither of which can be a pay-per-call number) for sending such a request.

The bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to provide that a request not to send unsolicited advertisements complies with FCC requirements if: (1) the request identifies the recipient fax number to which the request relates; (2) the request is made to the telephone or fax number of the sender; and (3) the person making the request has not subsequently provided express invitation or permission to have such advertisements sent.

The bill authorizes the FCC to allow professional tax-exempt trade associations to send unsolicited advertisements to their members in furtherance of association purposes.