[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 97 (Thursday, June 27, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7191-S7193]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SENATE RESOLUTION 274--RELATIVE TO NETDAY96
Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself and Mrs. Boxer) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:
S. Res. 274
Whereas the children of the United States deserve the
finest preparation possible to face the demands of this
Nation's changing information-based economy;
Whereas on March 9, 1996, California's NetDay96 succeeded
in bringing together
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more than 50,000 volunteers to install the wiring
infrastructure necessary to connect classrooms, from
kindergarten to the high school level (K-12), to the
Information Superhighway and bring them the educational
benefits of contemporary technology;
Whereas California's NetDay96 succeeded in wiring 3,500 K-
12 schools efficiently and cost-effectively, while
establishing and improving classroom information
infrastructure;
Whereas NetDay96 organizers created a World Wide Web site
(http://www.netday96.com/) with an on-line database of all
schools, where individuals with a shared interest in
upgrading technology in their schools can locate each other
and form communities with a lasting interest in their
schools;
Whereas NetDay96 stresses educational opportunity for
everyone by reaching out to rural and lower income
communities to equalize access to current technology;
Whereas the relationships formed on NetDay96 between
schools and their communities will last well beyond March 9,
1996, and other states are already planning to organize
future NetDay activities, for this October and beyond, that
build and expand upon the initial achievements of the
NetDay96 activities;
Whereas NetDay96 has substantially increased the visibility
of educational technology issues;
Whereas NetDay96 enables schools to move into the
information age through community and cyberspace-based
action;
Whereas students and schools benefit from significant
NetDay96 corporate sponsorship, including MCI, America
Online, Netscape, Netcom, Earthlink, who all agreed to
provide free Internet access to every K-12 school in
California, AT&T, Pacific Bell, Sun Microsystems, and
hundreds of other companies, who contributed by sponsoring
individual schools, providing wiring kits, and helping to
design and test the networks;
Whereas NetDay96 will help facilitate the placement of
educational technology, such as computer hardware, software,
Internet and technical services, and teaching aids and
training material, in the hands of schools through NetDay96
activities nationwide;
Whereas NetDay96 and future NetDay activities across
America will save schools and taxpayers millions of dollars
in technology startup costs;
Whereas President Clinton and Vice President Gore
participated in California's NetDay96 activities and support
the expansion of NetDay96 activities throughout the Nation in
an effort to increase the level of technology in this
Nation's classrooms and to enhance the ability of children to
learn; and
Whereas the Administration plans to work with NetDay96
organizers and corporate sponsors including Sun Microsystems,
Cisco Systems, and BellSouth, to organize a national
conference to allow States that are planning or considering
NetDay96 activities to learn from each others' experience:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
(1) the organizers, coordinators, and volunteers of
NetDay96 throughout the Nation should be commended for their
actions;
(2) NetDay96's success in California should be used as a
positive model in other States throughout the Nation, this
year and in future years;
(3) NetDay96 should be expanded nationwide to assist
students, parents, and schools across the country, so that
they may obtain the full benefits of computer equipment and
networks, strengthen their educations, and begin careers with
more skills and opportunities in order to help them compete
more successfully in the global economy;
(4) businesses, students, parents, educators, and unions
throughout the country should consider organizing NetDay96
activities in their communities to provide similar
opportunities for their schools; and
(5) the Senate affirms its support of NetDay96's commitment
to have United States classrooms fitted with the needed
technological infrastructure for the 21st century.
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to address technology and
children, two of our Nation's highest investment priorities.
March 9 was a very exciting day this year in California. On March 9,
more than 50,000 Californians volunteered in their neighborhood
schools, installing communications cables, connecting wires and
switches, and upgrading their schools for the 21st century. Throughout
the State, volunteers installed the wiring infrastructure to connect
thousands of elementary and secondary school classrooms to the
information superhighway and provided schools with the educational
benefits of contemporary technology.
March 9, named ``NetDay96'' by its cofounders John Gage of Sun
Microsystems, one of the Nation's leading technology companies, and
Michael Kaufman of KQED, a California public broadcasting station, was
an old fashioned barn-raising for the modern technology age.
Just as volunteers would gather in the Nation's early years,
neighbors helping neighbors, to build homes, barns or community
buildings, California's NetDay96 volunteers gathered in support of
neighborhood schools. NetDay96 succeeded in wiring 3,500 schools
efficiently and cost-effectively, establishing and improving our
classroom information infrastructure.
Despite the State's tremendous resources and opportunities,
California ranks 50th in the Nation in funds spent per student on
computers. The cost of providing one computer for each student, from
kindergarten to high school, would cost approximately $6 billion for
1,159,565 computers. The NetDay96 activities will help build community
involvement and ease some of the financial burden.
Today, it is my pleasure to submit a resolution in support of
California's NetDay96 activities, commend NetDay organizers and
volunteers and those who would work to extend the benefits of NetDay96
nationwide.
The relationships formed between schools and their communities will
extend beyond March 9. Californians are already planning to organize
future NetDay96 activities, building and expanding upon the earlier
achievements. Congress and the President should encourage
other communities to build upon the success of California's NetDay96
experience and provide the benefits of technology and education for
students and schools across the country.
Several members of my California staff were among the 50,000 NetDay96
volunteers at work in schools across the State. Cathy Widener of my
staff described the work at Brittan Acres Elementary School in San
Carlos, California as ``inspirational.'' Cathy attended school at
Brittan Acres and her father teaches there.
Cathy noted parents and teachers were on the classroom floor, pulling
cable and installing wires, as employees of California's leading high
tech companies provided instructions and directed traffic.
Dalila De Lancey, principal of Freeport Elementary School, a magnet
school in the Sacramento school system, indicates the school connected
every classroom and library in the school. Corporate sponsors,
including Apple, Hewlett-Packard, Pacific Bell, Sun Microsystems and
others donated equipment needed to get the job done.
Carolyn Harper, the Elmhurst Middle School Librarian in Oakland
appreciated the support from Honeywell Corp., whose volunteers brought
ladders, tools, and loads of enthusiasm. NetDay96 was part of the
Oakland Unified School District's effort to complete the construction
of a district-wide computer network and develop a technology exchange
program to recondition and install computers.
Technology companies were an important part of Netday96 and helped to
forge a partnership between California's businesses and schools to
improve education for all students. Even if students don't have
computers at home, at least students can have access at schools to
explore, develop skills, learn, and grow.
We all agree our children deserve the finest preparation possible to
face the demands of the changing information-based economy. NetDay96
helped meet these challenges, stressing educational opportunity for
everyone by reaching out to rural and lower-income communities where
current technology may be inadequate or incomplete.
It may surprise others to learn that the most valuable asset of
Netday96 was, in addition to the computers, wires and equipment, the
commitment of thousands of volunteers who worked in their community
schools. California's NetDay96 experience can be adopted in other
States and communities that may not have the same number of technology
companies as California's Silicon Valley.
NetDay96 sponsors found that virtually all companies today have the
technology, expertise, and skills to help schools if they choose to do
so. For NetDay96, technology companies were as near as the local phone
or cable company. All businesses equipped to be competitive today have
the necessary tools to assist schools if they have the desire and
opportunity to do so. NetDay96 provided them with the opportunity.
Companies can step forward.
Students, parents, and schools benefited from significant NetDay96
corporate sponsorship, including companies like MCI, AT&T, NetCom, and
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Earthlink, who agreed to provide free Internet access to every
elementary and secondary school in California. Other companies such as
American Online, Pacific Bell, Cisco Systems, Sun Microsystems and
hundreds of other companies contributed by sponsoring individual
schools, providing wiring kits, and helping to design and test the
networks.
With our current budget deficit, we have been doing everything we can
to encourage local, volunteer solutions to difficult problems. NetDay96
and future NetDays across America can save schools and taxpayers
millions of dollars in technology start-up costs by providing
equipment, computer time and training for teachers through the school's
corporate partners. Business sponsors and corporate volunteers were key
ingredients in making NetDay96 a successful reality.
This administration deserves great credit for advancing education and
technology. President Clinton and Vice President Gore joined the
thousands of California's NetDay volunteers. They support the expansion
of NetDay96 activities nationwide to increase the level of technology
in our classrooms and enhance our children's ability to learn.
It is my pleasure to submit this resolution commending the NetDay96
co-founders, Michael Kaufman and John Gage, the dozens of corporate
sponsors and business partners, and the thousands of volunteers working
in community schools throughout California. The success and commitment
they have shown can serve as a positive model for other States
throughout the Nation, this year and in future years.
My California colleague, Senator Barbara Boxer, joins in co-
sponsoring this resolution. Together, we urge our Senate colleagues to
affirm congressional support for preparing U.S. classrooms with the
needed technological infrastructure for the 21st century.
In today's global economy, America's students will face challenges on
an international scale. Students must graduate with the skills needed
to face today's international challenges. Computers and technology can
enhance education experience of children and provide a valuable
complement to traditional teaching tools. Technology is not the
complete solution to our complex education needs, but it is an
important area that needs both our attention and our support.
I am pleased to submit this resolution to stress the value of
volunteer efforts to bring technology to the classroom. With our
investments in technology and students, the next generation will
graduate with more of the skills they need to compete and win in the
global economy.
NetDay96 was a successful effort in California and I encourage an
effort to expand the effort nationwide to permit students across the
country to enjoy the benefit of technology and education. I urge my
Senate colleagues to support this effort.
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