Can't this administration do ANYTHING right? Sheesh.....

[The Straight Story]

Surplus federal computers not reaching rural towns
By Robert Brodsky [e-mail] February 15, 2008

Each year federal agencies donate, or sell at a discount, older computers that the government no longer needs. But red tape and a lack of information about the program have made it difficult for low-income families in rural towns to benefit from the practice, witnesses told a House panel this week.

Estelle Sanders, mayor of Roper, North Carolina -- population 625, and located in one of the poorest counties in the state -- described the frustration of navigating the process in her testimony before the House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Government Management, Organization and Procurement.

"The process assumes that the bidder, in our case, the town, has someone who would know about internal components of a computer doing their bidding, which is highly unlikely," Sanders said. "Small, low-wealth communities cannot afford technology-savvy staff. Unfortunately, the bidder must assume all risks. Needless to say, small low-wealth communities cannot take the time, nor afford the trip, nor take the risk that the computers will require extensive upgrades."

In North Carolina, local officials must travel to the state capital in Raleigh, a two-to-three hour ride from most communities in the eastern portion of the state. Potential buyers are not allowed to open computer cases and are limited to reading a brief description of their internal components, she said.

Sanders and others said the process would be much improved through the passage of the Federal Electronic Equipment Donation Act of 2007 (H.R. 752). Sponsored by Rep. G. K. Butterfield, a Democrat from Sanders' district in North Carolina, the bill would direct federal agencies to donate their surplus electronic equipment to qualifying small towns, rural counties, schools, non-profit organizations and libraries. Federal law now dictates that schools and non-profits are given priority over communities.

http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=39315&dcn=todaysnews