[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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