[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 15 (Friday, February 7, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1138-S1139]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 51--CONCERNING THE OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS OF NETDAY

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Mr. Warner, Mr. Burns, Mr. Robb, Mrs. 
Murray and Mrs. Boxer) submitted the following resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources:

                               S. Res. 51

       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 in the year 1996, NetDay succeeded in bringing 
     together more than 100,000 volunteers nationwide 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 NetDay succeeded in wiring 25,000 K-12 schools 
     nationwide efficiently and cost-effectively, while 
     establishing and improving classroom information 
     infrastructure;
       Whereas NetDay organizers created a World Wide Web site 
     (http://www.netday96.com/) with an on-line database of all 
     public and private K-12 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 NetDay stresses educational opportunity for 
     everyone by reaching out to rural and lower income 
     communities to equalize access to current technology;
       Whereas the relationships formed through NetDay activities 
     and initiatives between schools and their communities will 
     last well beyond 1996 into the 21st century, and other 
     communities are already planning to organize future NetDay 
     projects that build and expand upon the initial achievements 
     of NetDay in 1996;
       Whereas NetDay has substantially increased the visibility 
     of educational technology issues;
       Whereas NetDay enables K-12 schools to move into the 
     information age through community and cyberspace-based 
     action;
       Whereas students and schools benefited from significant 
     NetDay corporate sponsorship and donations from hundreds of 
     companies and organizations throughout the nation who 
     contributed by sponsoring individual schools, providing 
     wiring kits, and helping to design and test the networks;
       Whereas NetDay 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 NetDay 
     activities nationwide; and
       Whereas both past and future NetDay activities across 
     America will save schools and taxpayers millions of dollars 
     in technology startup costs: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
       (1) the organizers, coordinators, and volunteers of NetDay 
     throughout the United States should be commended for their 
     actions;
       (2) NetDay's success should be used as a positive model in 
     other communities throughout the United States, this year and 
     in future years;
       (3) NetDay activities should continue to expand 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 NetDay 
     activities in their communities to provide similar 
     opportunities for their schools; and
       (5) the Senate affirms its support of NetDay's commitment 
     to have classrooms of K-12 schools fitted with the needed 
     technological infrastructure for the 21st century.

 Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, on behalf of myself, Senator 
John Warner, Senator Conrad Burns, Senator Charles Robb, Senator Patty 
Murray, and Senator Barbara Boxer, I rise today to reintroduce a Senate 
resolution acknowledging the achievements of NetDay and affirming 
NetDay's commitment to wire our local K-12 schools to the information 
superhighway. I wish to commend the organizers and volunteers of 
NetDay, a nationwide public-private partnership.
  Last year, NetDay was successful in bringing out more than 100,000 
Americans, including 50,000 Californians to volunteer in their 
neighborhood schools. These students, teachers, parents, and friends of 
the schools came to wire classrooms and school libraries throughout the 
Nation. Thousands of individuals accomplished their goal to install 
communications cables, connect wires and switches to upgrading their 
schools for the 21st century.
  Their success was significant. Over 25,000 elementary, junior, and 
senior high schools were wired. Throughout the United States, 
volunteers climbed ladders and got on their hands and knees to install 
the wiring infrastructure needed to connect thousands of elementary and 
secondary school classrooms with contemporary technology.
  In recognition of the NetDay effort, I am very proud to submit a 
Senate resolution commending all of the more than 100,000 volunteers 
for their hard work and dedication to ensure that schools throughout 
America have the needed technological infrastructure for the 21st 
century.
  NetDay began in California on March 9, 1996. The term was coined by 
co-founders John Gage of Sun Microsystems, one of the Nation's leading 
technology companies and Michael Kaufman of KQED, a California public 
broadcasting station. Mr. Gage and Mr. Kaufman saw this initiative as a 
day where hundreds of Californians came out to an old-fashioned barn 
raising for the modern technology age.
  Just as volunteers would gather in the Nation's early years, with 
neighbor helping neighbor, to build homes, barns, or community 
buildings, California's NetDay volunteers gather in support of 
neighborhood schools. Amazingly, and to their surprise, NetDay 
succeeded in 1 year in wiring 3,500 schools efficiently and cost 
effectively, establishing and improving our classroom information 
infrastructure up and down the State.
  The NetDay effort is an important one to California. Despite the 
State's tremendous resources, opportunities, and wealth of technology 
companies, California still ranks at the bottom of States in funds 
spent per student on computers. The cost today of providing a computer 
for each student, from kindergarten to high school, is approximately $6 
billion for 1,159,565 computers in California. NetDay activities are 
one way to ease some of the financial burden.
  With our current budget deficit, we have been doing everything to 
encourage local, volunteer solutions to difficult problems. NetDay 
activities across America have and will continue to 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 
have been instrumental in making NetDay a successful reality.
  But we should also note that NetDay was not just about saving money. 
The most valuable asset of NetDay was the commitment of thousands of 
volunteers who worked in their community schools. The relationships 
formed between schools and their communities will extend beyond 1996. 
NetDay volunteers have the continued goal of stimulating and 
facilitating communities in the United States to participate in their 
local schools. Parents and neighbors who had previously never visited 
or been involved in their children's school are now motivated to come 
back to the classroom and work to improve their child's learning 
environment.
  NetDay organizers tell me that communities across the Nation are 
already planning to organize future NetDay activities, building and 
expanding upon earlier achievements. Further, in April of this year, 
NetDay organizers will be focusing resources on schools and communities 
that are often underserved.

[[Page S1139]]

  We all agree our children deserve the finest preparation possible to 
face the demands of the changing information-based economy. We need to 
provide the next generation with the proper training for high-
technology, well paying jobs. This will only happen if we include all 
our neighborhoods. NetDay will help 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. Even if students don't have computers at home, at least 
students can have access at schools to explore, develop skills, learn, 
and grow. Congress should encourage these important goals.
  With this resolution we can support the overall effort of ensuring 
that our classrooms are equipped with effective and constructive 
learning tools. As students move from elementary school to high school 
and then into college or the work force, it is imperative that these 
individuals are adequately trained to use contemporary technologies. 
This resolution will help motivate our communities, both volunteers and 
businesses, to provide donated resources, to build upon the success of 
the NetDay experience and to ensure that the children in all our towns 
and cities reap the benefits of an advanced learning environment.
  I would also like to take this time to congratulate this 
administration for making the improvement of our classroom's 
technological infrastructure a priority. This administration deserves 
great credit for advancing education and technology. Last year, 
President Clinton and Vice President Gore joined thousands of 
Californian volunteers in fulfilling this goal. They also support the 
expansion of NetDay activities nationwide to increase the level of 
technology in our classrooms to enhance our children's ability to 
learn.
  It is my pleasure to submit this resolution commending the NetDay co-
founders, Michael Kaufman and John Gage, the dozens of corporate 
sponsors and business partners, and the thousands of students, 
teachers, parents, and neighbors working in community schools 
throughout California and the Nation. The success and commitment they 
have shown can serve as a positive model, this year and in future 
years.
  My colleague and cochair on the U.S. Senate Information Technology 
Caucus, Senator John Warner joins me in cosponsoring this resolution. 
In addition, Senator Conrad Burns of Montana, Senator Charles Robb of 
Virginia, Senator Patty Murray from Washington, and my California 
colleague Senator Barbara Boxer join me in supporting the advancement 
of educational technology by 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 changing workplace. Computers and technology can 
enhance the educational 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 invite my Senate colleagues to join this public-private partnership 
effort.

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