The Heritage Foundation has nabbed a new staff member from the House Science Committee. Scott Rayder, professional staff member on budget and appropriations issues, is leaving the committee after almost three years to become Heritage's new senior technology and regulatory policy analyst. Rayder will work on digital divide and high-tech politics issues for the think-tank. "I'm a free-marketer, so it's a great fit for me," Rayder said.

     The producers of ABC's "Once and Again" TV show seemed to think Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) interim chairman Esther Dyson is an Internet cultural icon. On Monday night's show, one of the main characters, played by Sela Ward, is ridiculed by her new twenty-something boss for not knowing who Dyson is. Ward's character goes on the Internet to discover that Dyson is an "Internet pioneer," she says in one scene. Dyson is the daughter of the renowned physicist Freeman Dyson and is chairman of EDventure Holdings, the publisher of influential technology newsletter, Release 1.0.

     Meg Whitman, president and CEO of eBay, is the invited guest speaker at a House Democrat Caucus lunch on Wednesday as part of the caucus' outreach efforts to the high-tech community. Her invitation follows Caucus Chairman Martin Frost's, D-TX, visit to Silicon Valley in January. Whitman also is expected to talk to members about her support for database protection legislation led by House Judiciary Intellectual Property Subcommittee Chairman Howard Coble, R-NC. eBay is on the opposite side of other Internet companies, which support a database bill championed by House Commerce Committee Chairman Tom Bliley, R-VA. Yahoo! co-founder Jerry Yang is speaking at the National Press Club Tuesday and is expected to visit Capitol Hill to talk about database protection.

     The House GOP leadership will be campaigning in tech-heavy districts during the recess which begins next week. House Majority Leader Richard Armey, R-TX, is planning to take a tour through California, campaigning for state Assemblyman Jim Cunneen, the Republican nominee for the Silicon Valley seat being vacated by Rep. Tom Campbell, R-CA, a challenger to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-CA. House Majority Whip Tom DeLay, R-TX, is scheduled to head for Washington state the second week of the recess where he will campaign on behalf of King County Councilman Chris Vance, who is opposing Rep. Adam Smith, D-WA. He also will stump for state Senate Republican Leader Dan McDonald, who is running against freshman Rep. Jay Inslee, D-WA, for the district that Microsoft calls home.

     CapNet, the DC-region's bipartisan high-tech political action, gave out its first donation to Senate Commerce Telecommunications Subcommittee Chairman Conrad Burns, R-MT, said CapNet director Tim Hugo. "He's been a tech leader, and he's got a healthy race on his hands. We wanted to show our support," he said. CapNet's PAC raised $112,576 as of Dec. 31, 1999 according to Federal Elections Commission records. Meanwhile, CapNet, along with the Business Software Alliance, Dittus Communications and law firm Preston Gates, hosted a breakfast Tuesday morning for Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-LA. Landrieu expressed her support for an increase in H-1B visas, arguing that it is not the high-tech industry's fault if the government failed to educate children in math and science. She also said she supports open trade with China.

     Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, R-IL and National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Davis, R-VA, are tentatively scheduled to tour Network Solutions Inc. and America Online this Friday on a trip arranged by CapNet. Hastert, who made his first high-tech speech on Monday to a high-tech association, and Davis, are to meet with NSI executives and then head to a reception hosted by AOL. The trip may have to be rescheduled depending upon the House voting schedule.

     Two Montana policymakers have swapped staff and are calling it even. Matt Raymond, communications director for Sen. Conrad Burns and Larry Akey, chief of staff for Rep. Rick Hill, traded places, enabling both of them to stay involved in Montana politics. Raymond, who worked in Burns' office for more than five years, had the desire to move on but wanted to remain close to Montana and his office. Akey took the opportunity to remain involved in Montana matters, by working with Burns, who is running for reelection — Hill is not. According to Burns, the switch is "a perfect fit."

     Telecom expert Ann Morton joined consulting firm Simon Strategies as a senior vice president. Most recently, Morton serves as legislative counsel to Rep. Rick Boucher, D-VA, where she worked on intellectual property, telecommunications and Internet policy. Morton will be helping Greg Simon, who founded the firm in 1997, on open access issues.

     The National Association of Manufacturers' Dorothy Coleman has been promoted to vice president of tax policy, making her the organization's mouthpiece on tax issues. Coleman was the director of tax policy before assuming the newly created position. Her top priorities will include pushing the NAM's support for a continued moratorium on Internet access taxation and unfair taxes on e-commerce, and a permanent R&D tax credit. Before joining the NAM in 1998, Coleman worked at Arthur Anderson as a manger in the Office of Federal Tax Services. Also filling a new position is Daniel Akman, who will be assistant vice president of e-commerce marketing. Marino Marcich also was promoted from director of international investment and finance to assistant vice president, international economic affairs.

- by Bara Vaida