Last week, President Clinton listed closing the digital divide -- the technology gap between rich and poor -- as a top priority for his administration before he leaves office. This week Clinton is proposing to use more than $2 billion in funds and tax incentives to help narrow the gap, Reuters reports.

The grants and incentives will be included in the 2001 fiscal year budget the President is sending to Congress.

To encourage private sector help, the first part of the proposal includes $2 billion in tax incentives for such activities as computer donations, Reuters reports. The second part includes $380 million in grants for technology training for teachers, community technology centers and other programs.

"Unfortunately, there is a digital divide by income, educational level, by race, and by geography," a White House official told Reuters. "But the president believes that no American should be left out of participating in the information economy."

The President signed an executive memorandum in December requiring every federal agency to focus their efforts on closing the digital divide. He will also be touring areas with little access to technology this spring, to help raise awareness of this issues, Reuters reports.

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