The problem of information haves and have-nots would lead many to believe that economic forces alone will not adequately supply information to all sectors of society, and that the government should intervene. This dilemma is currently being played out in Washington, where a new Republican Congress is challenging the Clinton administration on many issues of government spending. President Clinton has stated that the government and private industry must work together to connect classrooms, clinics, libraries and hospitals to a "national information superhighway" by 2000 (McCLure 1994). As previously mentioned, the National Infrastructure Network was created in 1993 to promote competition among the telephone and cable companies and to promote affordable universal access to computer technology and information (Haq 1995b).
Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich recently criticized the President for not doing enough to narrow the computer literacy gap (Gingrich says 1995). He said that, out of the $500 billion education budget, only 0.3 percent is being used for putting technology in the schools (Gingrich says 1995). He advocated giving more of the current budget to teachers along with the authority to spend it on curriculum (Gingrich says 1995).
In late 1994 the Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) allocated $24.4 million in federal funds that were divided among 1000 public information highway projects. Four of the grants, including the largest of $716,883 to the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, went to Colorado (Zieger 1994, C1). Others included $400,000 to the Colorado Library System, $249,000 to the : Boulder Community Network Project and $30,500 to the KBDI-TV Public Broadcasting System TV station (Zieger 1994, C1).
More recently, the Clinton administration, prompted by data showing that low-income and poorly educated households are the least likely to own a computer modem, began a national program in March 1995 to educate the public about the information highway (Associated Press 1995). The program will establish learning centers around the country giving people access to computers and training (Associated Press 1995).