A Short History of NTIA
NTIA is the President's principal adviser on telecommunications
and information policy issues and, in this role, frequently works with
other Executive Branch agencies to develop and present the Administration's
poistion on these issues. In addition, NTIA also manages the Federal use
of the spectrum.
- The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) was
created in 1978 as a result of a major reorganization. This reorganization
transferred and combined various functions of the White House's Office of
Telecommunications Policy (OTP) and the Commerce Department's Office of
Telecommunications (OT).
- OTP, in existence since 1970, was responsible for,
among other things, telecommunications policymaking and radio spectrum management
on behalf of the President. OT provided staff support for OTP's spectrum
management and other functions, which included frequency allocation and
assignment, service as Secretariat to the Interdepartment Radio Advisory
Committee (IRAC) (in existance since 1922) and a technical research and analysis capability.
- NTIA's creation was accomplished by Reorganization Plan Number 1 (1977) and
implemented with Executive order 12046 (1978). The reorganization undertaken
by these documents abolished OTP and, by transferring most of OTP's functions
to the Department of Commerce, effectively consolidated OTP with OT. The
transferred functions included the President's authority to assign frequencies
to radio stations belonging to and operated by the United States and authority
to carry out other radio spectrum management activities, and long-range spectrum
planning in cooperation with the Federal Communications Commission. The
reorganization also transferred certain functions related to the planning
and development and other aspects of the communications satellite system.
Importantly, it made the Secretary of Commerce the President's principal adviser
on telecommunications policy, and transferred functions relating to studies
in various areas, including telecommunications research and development and the
presentation of Executive Branch views on matters to the FCC and others, among
other functions. These documents also established the position of Assistant
Secretary for Communications and Information.
- Immediately thereafter, the Commerce Secretary prescribed the scope of authority
of the Assistant Secretary and created NTIA pursuant to Department Organization
Order 10-10. That order delegated to the Assistant Secretary for Communications
and Information the functions transferred to the Secretary of Commerce by the
reorganization documents, as well the functions of OT. It also made the Assistant
Secretary the Administrator of NTIA. In 1992, the NTIA Organization Act of 1992
codified NTIA's authority in detail and incorporated this organizational structure
into statute.
- The Public Telecommunications Facilities Program, which awards equipment grants to
public telecommunications entities, was transferred to NTIA from the Department of
Health, Education, and Welfare in 1978. In 1990, Congress established in the
Commerce Department the National Endowment for Children's Educational Television.
The Secretary of Commerce delegated the responsibility for administering the
Endowment to NTIA. In 1993, Congress established the Telecommunications and
Information Assistance Program in NTIA.
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