Press Release of Rep. Zoe Lofgren and Rep. Cal Dooley.
Re: Universal Service Support for Schools and Libraries.
Date: June 11, 1998.
Source: Office of Rep. Zoe Lofgren. This document was created by scanning a fax copy, and converting into HTML.

Joint News Release From
Rep. Zoe Lofgren - Rep. Cal Dooley

U.S. House of Representatives

71 Members of Congress
Urge FCC to Implement "E-Rate"

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Cal Dooley (D-Hanford, Ca.) and U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose, Ca.) led 71 of their House colleagues in urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to fully implement the "e-rate," which enables schools and libraries to be wired for the Internet, when the Commission meets tomorrow.

In the letter to FCC Chairman William Kennard and the other four FCC commissioners, the House members stated that "the e-rate is a win-win proposition for our schools, our libraries and our nation's prosperity." The letter's authors affirmed the importance of this program, saying, "while some critics have intensified their criticism of our commitment to connect schools and libraries to the Internet, we believe this investment is essential to providing our youth with the education and skills they need to succeed in the information economy of the 2 1 st century."

In the 1996 Telecommunications Act, Congress affirmed the importance of connecting schools, libraries, and rural health centers to the Internet and other telecommunications services, and directed the FCC to develop a system of discounts for educational institutions (the "e-rate") to wire facilities for Internet access. More than 300,000 schools and libraries have already filed applications with the FCC seek-Ing, to participate in the "e-rate" program. Many of these institutions have developed complete technology plans, raised matching funds, and have factored the anticipated discounts into their budgets.

Dooley, who is co-chair of the House of Representatives' New Democrat Coalition (NDC), said, "The e-rate program is absolutely vital to our children's future." He hailed the program as providing an important educational tool to students, saying, "As our economy becomes increasingly reliant on developing technology, tomorrow's workers will have to have technical background to survive. The e-rate program ensures that all students will have access to this essential information technology."

Lofgren, who played an instrumental role shepherding the e-rate through Congress and now in defending it, said, "The e-rate will not raise the cost to consumers if the telephone companies play fair. The children of America deserve the chance for a great future, and in the next century technological proficiency will be a requirement.   Their future - and the economic future of this country - depends on access to technology that the e-rate guarantees."

The FCC will meet this Friday, June 12, to determine the level at which to fund the e-rate program.