Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Rep. Boucher Kicks Off Internet Caucus Conference

Congressional Internet Caucus co-founder Rep. Rick Boucher told a small crowd on Tuesday evening that the Web has come a long way since he and former Rep. Rick White started the group 12 years ago as a way to encourage fellow lawmakers and their staffers to embrace what was then a nascent medium.

The Virginia Democrat's remarks kicked off a reception preceding the organization's annual "State Of The Net" conference, which will draw Internet policy enthusiasts of all stripes to the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill on Wednesday.

"Little did we think that [Internet] issues would evolve to where they are today," Boucher told the invitation-only cocktail party. The ubiquity of the Web is exemplified in the diversity of the summit's panel discussion topics -- from energy efficiency to healthcare, he said.

"Back in 1996 we never dreamed that broadband would take place over wireless technology," Boucher said. Now, with an eye on the FCC's auction of spectrum in the 700-megahertz band and increased attention to vacant broadcast spectrum known as "white space," the possibilities are endless.

To keep pace with the changing landscape, the Internet caucus has expanded in interesting ways, he said. The group recently held its first foreign gathering of global Internet experts in London and plans are afoot to host similar events in the future.

While the evolution of the Web has raised new issues, some subjects have endured, Boucher noted. Questions about how to promote intellectual property rights "when copyrighted items traverse the net" was an issue then and remains a political hot-potato today, he said.

To help solve the problem, broadband providers and software vendors have introduced an array of filtering technologies -- but Boucher seemed skeptical. He urged his audience to "ask probing questions" of officials from those companies during Wednesday's event.

Rep. Mike Honda, a Democrat from Silicon Valley, also spoke to the group. He told guests that "knowledge is the one thing that empowers all of us" and those who invest in the Internet are stewards of that knowledge. "You're the brains, you're the innovators," he said.

The former public school principal also offered a bit of humor -- starting off his remarks by acknowledging an appreciation for short attention spans and the reception's open bar. "I hate people when they interfere with my drink," he laughed, holding up his glass and pledging to keep the speech short.