Commerce Department Announces Plan for Modernization of Technology
Agencies
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Don Evans announced today that he will
propose to modernize the structure for the Departments formulation
of technology and telecommunications policy. The new structure will
combine the Technology Administration (TA), the National Telecommunications
and Information Administration (NTIA), and the e-commerce policy functions
of the International Trade Administration (ITA) into one consolidated
and well-coordinated agency.
Convergence
is the business model in the digital economy it should be the
business model in the federal government, said Secretary Evans.
This Administration understands that our global marketplace
has changed and that telecom and technology operate together, not
separately. We need to adjust our thinking and adjust our structure
to keep pace with the world, our economy and innovation.
The
Department of Commerce currently develops and implements technology
and telecommunications policy in three bureaus: the TA, NTIA, and
ITA. To complement the recent convergence in the private sector of
technology and communications companies, Secretary Evans is proposing
to reorganize Departmental personnel and management to facilitate
coordination in domestic and international policy development for
these increasingly inter-related sectors of the economy.
These
changes make sense -- for the Department, for industry, and for the
American people, said Deputy Secretary of Commerce Sam Bodman,
and they support the President's focus on improving management
and policy coordination across government.
These
organizational changes will institutionalize the effective and productive
working relationship that I have developed with TA under the leadership
of Under Secretary Phil Bond, and this also puts in place a workable
structure that will benefit our successors in the years to come,
said Nancy J. Victory, Assistant Secretary for Communications and
Information and NTIA Administrator. What matters most is performance
and results, and we believe these organizational changes will help
us accomplish our jobs and better serve the American people.
Under
the new organizational structure being proposed, the Under Secretary
for Technology would oversee the new agency that would focus on a
range of issues including technical standards, spectrum management,
and technology and e-commerce policy issues.
The
synergy between technology and telecommunications is a global reality,
added Under Secretary of Technology Phil Bond. Bringing TA together
with the NTIA and a portion of ITA will enhance the Administrations
focus on issues critical to our innovation economy and Americas
technological leadership. We look forward to working with Congress
on this proposal.
The
proposed changes will require Congressional approval.