House Lets Members Skype

Politico reports:

House members and staff will now be allowed to use online video-chatting tools Skype and ooVoo, ending a prohibition that House Republicans have been on a yearlong crusade to reverse.

In a letter to colleagues sent early Tuesday, House Administration Committee Chairman Dan Lungren (R-Calif.) said the chamber’s public Wi-Fi network has been enabled to permit the use of Skype and ooVoo. The House negotiated a modified license agreement with both sites so that House rules are followed and security is protected.

“During a time when Congress must do more with less, utilizing low-cost, real-time communication tools is an effective way to inform and solicit feedback from your constituents,” Lungren wrote in the letter. “In addition to Skype and ooVoo, we are searching for additional means to help enhance constituent communications.”