Government Closed Monday But Broadband Stimulus Money May Be Handed Out

Chopra, Webb and Warner to give "Recovery Act" press conference Feb. 8

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/8/2010 12:12:43 PM

Looks like the National Telecommunications & Information Administration could be handing out more broadband stimulus money even on a day when the federal government is ostensibly closed.

According to an e-mail from NTIA, the White House's Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra, formerly Virginia's top tech guy, is joining with Virginia Senators Jim Webb and Mark Warner to make what is only described as a "Recovery Act" press conference.

But since NTIA gives out the stimulus broadband bucks, and the passcode for the conference call is BTOP (for Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, the name fore the broadband portion of the stimulus package), it appears a safe bet that is the reason for the call.

An NTIA spokesperson confirmed that while the government is closed, the conference call is still on for Monday (Feb. 8) afternoon.

NTIA and the USDA's Rural Utilities Service together are handing out over $7 billion in broadband grant and loan money.