[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 103 (Thursday, June 22, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1307]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


  INTRODUCTION OF LEGISLATION TO ESTABLISH DISTANCE LEARNING THROUGH 
                          SATELLITE TECHNOLOGY

                                 ______


                       HON. CONSTANCE A. MORELLA

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 22, 1995
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, America's distance education programs are 
in jeopardy. Escalating costs and a decline in the availability of 
satellite capacity are putting distance learning programs across the 
country at risk.
  The distance education industry in the United States provides a much 
needed service to health facilities and schools in hard-to-reach areas. 
More than 90 American colleges provide education and instruction to 
school districts, colleges, and libraries, nationally and 
internationally. If we do not address the shortage in satellite 
capacity and the increased costs, these programs will be curtailed.
  The legislation that I am introducing today would create an adequate 
satellite system dedicated to education. My bill would authorize the 
Secretary of Commerce to carry out a loan guarantee program under which 
a nonprofit, public corporation could borrow funds to buy or lease 
satellites dedicated to instructional programming. Distance learning 
programs, which are now scattered across numerous satellites, could be 
collocated into one satellite. This will facilitate access to 
educational programming, reduce technical problems, and stabilize 
costs.
  A satellite dedicated to education is an obvious way to improve 
educational opportunities for all Americans. An education satellite 
would afford students a high quality of education regardless of where 
they live or how much money they make.
  An education satellite will enable students in rural America to take 
advanced placement chemistry, even though their school district does 
not have an advanced chemistry teacher. An education satellite will 
ensure that hearing-impaired students will have access to instructors 
that are certified in sign language. An education satellite will excite 
young minds and bring the finest instructors to our inner cities, where 
they are most needed.
  I have long supported the establishment of an education satellite 
through my involvement with the Education Satellite Corp. [EDSAT], a 
subsidiary of the nonprofit National Education Telecommunications 
Organization [NETO]. This organization has been working to enhance 
educational opportunities for our Nation's students through distance 
learning technology.
  Other countries have education satellites. Japan and Great Britain 
recognize the important role that television plays in education. Japan 
relies heavily on in-school use of television to education children, 
and the British require all stations, commercial and noncommercial, to 
carry educational and informative programming for children.
  An education satellite is in the Nation's best interest. A satellite-
based infrastructure dedicated to education will bring equity to our 
educational system. While distance learning will never replace 
classroom teachers, it does provide educators with an additional tool 
with which to teach. An education satellite will afford all Americans 
the opportunity they deserve to achieve their fullest potential.


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