The National Information Infrastructure (NII)

"All Americans have a stake in the construction of an advanced National Information Infrastructure (NII), a seamless web of communications networks, computers, databases, and consumer electronics that will put vast amounts of information at users' fingertips. Development of the NII can help unleash an information revolution that will change forever the way people live, work, and interact with each other."

1) Telecommunications Policy Committee will formulate a consistent Administration position on key telecommunications issues. This committee has recently created:

- The Working Group on Universal Service, which will work to ensure that all Americans have access to and can enjoy the benefits of the National Information Infrastructure.

2) Information Policy Committee is addressing critical information policy issues that must be addressed if the National Information Infrastructure is to be fully deployed and utilised. The Committee has created three working groups:

- The Working Group on Intellectual Property Rights, to develop proposals for protecting copyrights and other IPR in an electronic world.

- The Working Group on Privacy, to design Administration policies to protect individual privacy despite the rapid increase in the collection, storage, and dissemination of personal data in electronic form.

- The Working Group on Government Information focuses on ways to promote dissemination of government data in electronic form.

3) Applications Committee, which co-ordinates Administration efforts to develop, demonstrate, and promote applications of information technology in manufacturing, education, health care, government services, libraries, and other areas. This group works closely with the High-Performance Computing and Communications Program, which is funding development of new applications technologies, to determine how Administration policies can best promote the deployment of such technologies. So far, the Committee has created one working group:

- The Working Group on Government Information Technology Services (GITS) will co-ordinate efforts to improve the application of information technology by Federal agencies.