Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Kevin Martin has proposed using $211 million from the Universal Service Fund--the pool of money that pays for eRate discounts, among other things--to help rebuild the communications infrastructure in areas damaged by Hurricane Katrina. About $132 million of this money will support schools and libraries impacted by the storm.

The money will be used for various projects, Martin said, including helping schools restore their internet connections and providing eligible evacuees with mobile phones and free phone minutes.

The FCC's eRate program will open a new