Short Take: New plan for e-rate funding

Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-Louisiana) reintroduced the Schools and Libraries Internet Access Act to revamp funding for the federal school and library Net access subsidy, or e-rate. Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Montana) will introduce a companion bill to slash a 3 percent federal communications excise tax by two-thirds and reallocate the remaining revenue to fund the e-rate. Currently the e-rate is supported by fees long-distance companies pay to local phone carriers.