Biographical Sketch of Larry Irving

LARRY IRVING

Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information
and

Administrator, National Telecommunications and Information Administration

Larry Irving was appointed to his present position by President Clinton in Spring, 1993. In this capacity, Mr. Irving serves as a principal advisor to the President, Vice President and Secretary of Commerce on domestic and international communications and information policy issues, oversees the management of the Federal government's use of the radio spectrum and supervises programs that award grants to extend the reach of advanced telecommunications technologies to underserved areas.

As a member of the Clinton-Gore Administration's technology team, Mr. Irving plays an integral role in the Administration's Electronic Commerce, National Information Infrastructure and Global Information Infrastructure initiatives. He was a point person in the Administration's successful efforts to reform the United States' telecommunications law, which resulted in the passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 -- the most sweeping change in America's telecommunications law in 60 years.

In recognition of his work to promote policies and develop programs to ensure access to advanced telecommunication and information technologies, Irving was named one of the fifty most influential persons in the "Year of the Internet" by Newsweek Magazine, which described him as the "Conscience of the Internet". Mr. Irving was proclaimed a "Technology Champion" by the Congressional Black Caucus' Education Brain trust. He also was recognized for his efforts to bridge the digital divide by, among others, the Alliance for Public Technology and the Indigenous Broadcast Center of Anchorage, Alaska.

Mr. Irving initiated the landmark Federal survey, Falling Through the Net, which tracks access to telecommunications and information technologies, including telephones, computers and the Internet, across racial, economic, and geographic lines. Mr. Irving also has been a key proponent in the Clinton-Gore Administration of policies to protect the diversity of voices in the commercial broadcast arena and to promote increased opportunities for minorities and women in the emerging digital economy.

Prior to joining the Clinton-Gore Administration, Mr. Irving served ten years on Capitol Hill, most recently as Senior Counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Finance. He also served as Legislative Director, Counsel and Chief of Staff (acting) to the late Congressman Mickey Leland (D-Texas). During the previous three years, Mr. Irving was associated with the Washington, D.C. law firm of Hogan and Hartson, specializing in communications law, antitrust law, and commercial litigation. Mr. Irving received a B.A. from Northwestern University in 1976 and a J.D. from Stanford University School of Law, where he was President of the Class of 1979.

Mr. Irving currently serves on the board of directors for Highway I and the United States Telecommunications Training Institute (USTTI). He also serves as a member of the Advisory Council for the Law, Science and Technology Program at Stanford Law School. He is married to Leslie Annet Wiley and resides in Washington, D.C.