FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, Contact: (202) 225-7601
June 9, 1998
No. OV-18
Congresswoman Nancy L. Johnson (R-CT), Chairman, Subcommittee on Oversight of the Committee on Ways and Means, today announced that the Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the Year 2000 (Y2K) computer problems and telecommunications systems. The hearing will take place on Tuesday, June 16, 1998, in the main Committee hearing room, 1100 Longworth House Office Building, beginning at 3:00 p.m.
In view of the limited time available to hear witnesses, oral testimony at this hearing will be from invited witnesses only. Witnesses will include representatives from the U.S. General Accounting Office; the President's Council on the Year 2000 Conversion; and the telecommunications industry. However, any individual or organization not scheduled for an oral appearance may submit a written statement for consideration by the Committee and for inclusion in the printed record of the hearing.
BACKGROUND:
The United States, with almost half of the world's computer capacity and 60 percent of the world's Internet assets, is arguably the world's most advanced, and most dependent, producer and user of information and telecommunications technologies. Telecommunications are critical to the operations of nearly every public and private sector organization, including the Medicare, Social Security, customs, welfare, child support enforcement, and the Internal Revenue Service programs within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means. The telecommunications infrastructure is composed of the public sector network (a network of hundreds of local telephone companies and long distance carriers), the Internet, and millions of government and private sector telecommunications and computer networks.
Although most of the attention concerning the Y2K problem has focused on its impact on information technology and computer systems, there is a growing recognition of the vulnerability of telecommunications. The Y2K problems affect virtually all telecommunications network components. Because a single noncompliant component could potentially shut down an entire network, rigorous testing will be necessary. To minimize the adverse consequences of noncompliant telecommunications systems, a massive logistical effort will be required-- including closely monitoring the status of the Y2K readiness programs of the local and long distance carriers. The Executive Branch, in response to Congressional concerns, has recently begun to address the Y2K telecommunications issues. The key initiatives include the creation, in February 1998, of the President's Council on the Year 2000 Conversion and in April 1998, the FCC's Year 2000 Initiatives.
In announcing the hearing, Chairman Johnson stated: "Given the embryonic stage of the Administration's telecommunications initiatives, with only 19 months left, I am concerned that this may be too little, too late. The telecommunications infrastructure is critical to Social Security checks getting to our seniors, our hospitals and doctors being paid by Medicare, and our taxpayers being served properly and efficiently by the Internal Revenue Service. It is imperative that we know the Y2K status of our telecommunications system. We need to assess the adequacy of the planning and management for Y2K readiness of the telecommunications system to avert a potential disaster for the programs within our Committee's jurisdiction."
FOCUS OF THE HEARING:
The hearing will explore the Y2K issues for the Nation's telecommunications infrastructure and its impact on the major programs within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means. In particular, the Subcommittee will examine the implications of the Y2K risks posed by the telecommunications infrastructure, including those posed by critical infrastructure components failures.
DETAILS FOR SUBMISSION OF WRITTEN COMMENTS:
Any person or organization wishing to submit a written statement for the printed record of the hearing should submit six (6) single-spaced copies of their statement, along with an IBM compatible 3.5-inch diskette in WordPerfect 5.1 format, with their name, address, and hearing date noted on a label, by the close of business, Tuesday, June 30, 1998, to A.L. Singleton, Chief of Staff, Committee on Ways and Means, U.S. House of Representatives, 1102 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515. If those filing written statements wish to have their statements distributed to the press and interested public at the hearing, they may deliver 200 additional copies for this purpose to the Subcommittee on Oversight office, room 1136 Longworth House Office Building, at least one hour before the hearing begins.
FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS:
Each statement presented for printing to the Committee by a witness, any written statement or exhibit submitted for the printed record or any written comments in response to a request for written comments must conform to the guidelines listed below. Any statement or exhibit not in compliance with these guidelines will not be printed, but will be maintained in the Committee files for review and use by the Committee.
1. All statements and any accompanying exhibits for printing must be submitted on an IBM compatible 3.5-inch diskette in WordPerfect 5.1 format, typed in single space and may not exceed a total of 10 pages including attachments. Witnesses are advised that the Committee will rely on electronic submissions for printing the official hearing record.
2. Copies of whole documents submitted as exhibit material will not be accepted for printing. Instead, exhibit material should be referenced and quoted or paraphrased. All exhibit material not meeting these specifications will be maintained in the Committee files for review and use by the Committee.
3. A witness appearing at a public hearing, or submitting a statement for the record of a public hearing, or submitting written comments in response to a published request for comments by the Committee, must include on his statement or submission a list of all clients, persons, or organizations on whose behalf the witness appears.
4. A supplemental sheet must accompany each statement listing the name, company, address, telephone and fax numbers where the witness or the designated representative may be reached. This supplemental sheet will not be included in the printed record.
The above restrictions and limitations apply only to material being submitted for printing. Statements and exhibits or supplementary material submitted solely for distribution to the Members, the press, and the public during the course of a public hearing may be submitted in other forms.
The
Committee seeks to make its facilities accessible to persons with
disabilities. If you are in need of special accommodations, please
call 202-225-1721 or 202-226-3411 TTD/TTY in advance of the event
(four business days notice is requested). Questions with regard to
special accommodation needs in general (including availability of
Committee materials in alternative formats) may be directed to the
Committee as noted above.