[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 128 (Wednesday, September 14, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: September 14, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
 COMMUNICATIONS ACT OF 1994 TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT RESEARCH AND 
                 MANUFACTURING COMPETITION ACT OF 1994

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                        ROBB AMENDMENT NO. 2584

  (Ordered referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation.)
  Mr. ROBB submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the 
bill (S. 1822) to foster the further development of the Nation's 
telecommunications infrastructure and protection of the public 
interest, and for other purposes; as follows:
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       On page 10, below line 24, add the following:
       ``(6) To the maximum extent practicable, to ensure that 
     every school and classroom in the United States has access to 
     existing and innovative telecommunications and information 
     services and technologies.
       On page 11, line 1, strike out ```(6)''' and insert in lieu 
     thereof ```(7)'''.
       On page 11, line 4, strike out ```(7)''' and insert in lieu 
     thereof ```(8)'''.
       On page 12, between lines 16 and 17, insert the following:
       ``(3)(A) There is hereby established a fund to be known as 
     the Educational Telecommunications and Technology Fund (in 
     this section referred to as the `Fund'). The purpose of the 
     Fund is to provide funding for activities that ensure that 
     elementary and secondary schools in the United States have 
     complete access to existing and innovative telecommunications 
     and information technologies and services.
       ``(B)(i) Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this section, the Commission shall prescribe 
     regulations that, notwithstanding the second sentence of 
     paragraph (2), provide for the deposit into the Fund of such 
     portion of the monetary contributions required under that 
     paragraph as the Commission shall prescribe.
       ``(ii) The regulations under this subparagraph shall also 
     establish guidelines governing the deposit into the Fund of 
     all or a portion of the following:
       ``(I) Payments to the Commission as a result of the 
     determination of the Commission of overcharges on the part of 
     an entity.
       ``(II) Payments of penalties assessed by the Commission.
       ``(iii) The Commission may prescribe in regulations under 
     this subparagraph for the deposit into the Fund of funds from 
     such other sources (including from fees received from 
     auctions of the electromagnetic spectrum) and in such amounts 
     as the Commission determines appropriate.
       ``(4) Not later than 2 years after the date of the 
     enactment of this section, the Secretary of Education and the 
     Commission shall jointly prescribe regulations relating to 
     the disbursement of sums in the Fund. Such regulations shall 
     include the following provisions:
       ``(A) Provisions governing the utilization of sums in the 
     Fund, including the projects for which sums in the Fund shall 
     be available.
       ``(B) Provisions for determining the State and local 
     entities eligible for awards of sums from the Funds.
       ``(C) Provisions establishing a fair and expeditious 
     process for the application for and selection of the entities 
     to be awarded sums from the Fund.
       ``(D) Provisions governing the evaluation of the activities 
     of entities that are awarded sums from the Fund.
       ``(E) Provisions ensuring that entities awarded sums in the 
     Fund utilize such sums for the purposes for which such sums 
     were awarded.
       On page 15, between lines 3 and 4, insert the following:
       (c) Telecommunications Services for Educational 
     Institutions.--(1) Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce 
     for Communications and Information shall, in consultation 
     with the Federal Communications Commission and the Secretary 
     of Education--
       (A) issue a notice of inquiry into the feasibility of 
     establishing an educational telecommunications and technology 
     corporation in order to provide credit and grant funds to 
     support the national goal of ensuring that elementary and 
     secondary schools have complete access to existing and 
     innovative telecommunications and information technologies 
     and services;
       (B) review alternative for an appropriate organizational 
     form for such a corporation; and
       (C) recommend to __________ an organizational form for such 
     a corporation.
       (2) The Assistant Secretary shall complete proceedings on 
     the notice of inquiry and publish the recommendations 
     referred to in paragraph (1)(C) not later than 1 year after 
     the date of enactment of this Act.

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