Bill Overview
Title: ITS Codification Act
Description: This bill provides statutory authority for the Institute for Telecommunication Sciences, which serves as the telecommunications research and engineering arm of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. In addition, the institute must establish an initiative to support the development of emergency communication and tracking technologies for use in locating trapped individuals in confined spaces where conventional radio communication is limited.
Sponsors: Rep. Carter, Earl L. "Buddy" [R-GA-1]
Target Audience
Population: All people who rely on telecommunications and emergency services
Estimated Size: 331000000
- The Institute for Telecommunication Sciences is involved with telecommunications research and engineering, which implies that industries and professionals connected to telecommunications and information technology would be directly impacted.
- Establishing an initiative to support the development of emergency communication and tracking technologies suggests that first responders and emergency management services would benefit, as it may improve their ability to locate trapped individuals.
- The potential indirect impact includes people who may in the future be trapped in confined spaces, as improved technologies could enhance rescue operations.
Reasoning
- The policy directly influences the telecommunications industry and emergency services, which means professionals in these areas will feel the most immediate impact.
- Many individuals, while not directly involved in telecommunications or emergency services, will still benefit from enhanced emergency response capabilities, albeit indirectly.
- Given the policy's focus on emergency communication technologies, most noticeable impacts are expected among first responders, emergency service providers, and those in telecommunications technology roles.
- Indirect effects on the general population could also cluster around individuals who live in areas prone to natural disasters or urban areas with more frequent emergencies.
- The budget allocation per year and over a ten-year period limits the number of profound changes, keeping initial impacts moderate overall.
Simulated Interviews
Telecommunications Engineer (Denver, CO)
Age: 35 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think this policy is a step in the right direction. It could enable better technologies, enhancing communications and ensuring quicker emergency responses.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Firefighter (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 42 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- New communication technologies could be a game changer in our work, making it possible to save more lives in difficult situations.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Emergency Communications Specialist (Houston, TX)
Age: 29 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Policies supporting telecom advancements in disaster response are crucial, but effective execution will determine the real outcomes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
Farmer (Rural Wisconsin)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It sounds useful for the cities, but I doubt we'll see any direct benefits in rural areas.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Paramedic (New York, NY)
Age: 31 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this leads to improvements in our communications. Sometimes, a better system can mean the difference between life and death.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Telecommunications Policy Analyst (Miami, FL)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy reinforces important areas where the U.S. must advance, particularly for disaster management and advanced telecom capabilities.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Communications Professor (Seattle, WA)
Age: 61 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 1/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Funding into this sector is essential. It will provide advanced tools and systems, fostering an environment rich in innovation.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
IT Consultant (Detroit, MI)
Age: 39 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Innovation in this space could open new consulting avenues and enhance the tools available to emergency services.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Graduate Student in Telecommunications (Orlando, FL)
Age: 24 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy signals increased opportunities for research and development in our field, which is very exciting as a student.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Emergency Room Doctor (Chicago, IL)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Enhancements in emergency communication could indirectly benefit medical interventions and response times.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $45000000 (Low: $30000000, High: $60000000)
Year 2: $47000000 (Low: $31000000, High: $62000000)
Year 3: $49000000 (Low: $32000000, High: $64000000)
Year 5: $53000000 (Low: $34000000, High: $69000000)
Year 10: $61000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $80000000)
Year 100: $100000000 (Low: $80000000, High: $120000000)
Key Considerations
- The long-term vision and potential technological breakthroughs that could result from this statutory authority.
- The statutory support enables sustained focus on developing crucial telecommunications technologies for emergency response.
- The variability in budgeting for research and development projects, which may affect annual costs.