NEWS
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, S.W.
Washington, D. C.  20554
This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action.  Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action.
See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974).
News Media Information 202 / 418-0500
Internet: http://www.fcc.gov
TTY: 1-888-835-5322
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Workshop Media Contact:
August 3, 2009 Mark Wigfield, 202-418-0253
Email: mark.wigfield@fcc.gov
Chairman’s Media Contact:
Jen Howard, 202 418-0506
Email: jen.howard@fcc.gov
FCC ANNOUNCES PARTICIPANTS IN FIRST STAFF WORKSHOP FOR NATIONAL 
BROADBAND PLAN
Washington, D.C. – The Federal Communications Commission’s first staff workshop 
Thursday for the development of a National Broadband Plan will focus on civic engagement and 
e-government, and will feature participants who include Vivek Kundra, United States Chief 
Information Officer, Norman Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute, and others.  The 
workshop will conclude with an open mike session providing an opportunity for public 
participation.
“This is the first in a series of workshops representing unparalleled openness and public 
participation," Chairman Julius Genachowski said.  "It is highly fitting that civic participation is 
the first topic as we will need broad participation from all stakeholders in order to meet the 
moment and deliver a National Broadband Plan to Congress in February."
Staff workshops will be held throughout August and into September to promote an open dialogue 
between the FCC and key constituents on matters important to the National Broadband Plan.  The 
workshops are open to the public at the Commission’s headquarters building and online.  The public is 
encouraged to register by visiting http://www.broadband.gov/ws_egov.html
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which was signed into law on February 
17, 2009, directed the FCC to submit a National Broadband Plan to Congress by February 16, 2010 that 
“shall seek to ensure that all people of the United States have access to broadband capability and shall 
establish benchmarks for meeting that goal.”
What: National Broadband Plan Staff Workshop:  Civic Engagement and e.Gov
Where: FCC Commission Room, 445 12th St. SW, Washington D.C. 20554 and 
online at http://www.broadband.gov/ws_egov.html
When: Thursday, August 6, 9:30 a.m.
Panels
FCC participants
· Eugene Huang, moderator
· Steve Van Roekel
· Kristen Kane
· Mary Beth Richards
Panel 1:  A View from Government
45 minutes; each participant will be allotted 5 minutes, leaving 25 minutes for questioning
· Vivek Kundra, U.S. CIO and former CTO of Washington, D.C., will provide insight into 
how his “IT Dashboard” and “Apps for Democracy” increased civic participation and 
made the government more efficient.  He will also discuss how government investments 
in cloud computing and telepresence might result in improved performance while 
accelerating American broadband leadership.
· Graham Richard, former Mayor of Ft. Wayne, Indiana, will discuss how his city used 
broadband to improve its performance and what should be standard practices for all 
governments.
· Beth Noveck, United States Deputy Chief Technology Officer for Open Government, 
will discuss new opportunities for governments to engage citizens through broadband and 
emerging technologies, including through the use of collaboration platforms.
Panel 2: A View from the Non-Profit Sector
45 minutes; each participant will be allotted 5 minutes, leaving 25 minutes for questioning
· Chicago Committee for 2016 Games will provide a view of how that organization is using 
a broadband platform for organizing the city to support the effort to obtain the Olympics.
· John Wonderlich, Policy Director of the Sunlight Foundation, will discuss best practices 
for government engagement of citizens.
· Norm Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute will discuss how broadband can 
affect campaigns and elections.
· Andrew Rasiej of the Personal Democracy Forum will discuss innovative uses of 
broadband that enhance democracy.
· Professor Ellen Goodman, Rutgers School of Law, will discuss how broadband could 
create new opportunities for civic engagement through public media.
Panel 3: Open Mike Session– Suggestions from the Audience
25 minutes
-FCC-
News about the Federal Communications Commission’s development of the National 
Broadband can be found at http://www.broadband.gov/news.html