[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 26 (Thursday, March 12, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E362]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   INTRODUCTION OF THE E-RATE POLICY AND CHILD PROTECTION ACT OF 1998

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                         HON. EDWARD J. MARKEY

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 12, 1998

  Mr. MARKEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to introduce the E-Rate Policy and 
Child Protection Act of 1998. Mr. Speaker, the Telecommunications Act 
of 1996 contained a provision that I had battled for and advocated for 
many years. The concept was straightforward: make America's schools and 
libraries eligible for universal service funding so that these 
educational entities could receive discounted rates for 
telecommunications services. During FCC implementation of this 
provision, I coined the term ``E-Rate''--for ``education rate''--to 
describe a system of discounts for telecommunications services that 
would allow schools and libaries to enter the digital age and better 
prepare our citizens for the knowledge-based economy of the future.
  As a nation, we did the job of preparing previous generations to 
compete in the Industrial Era. From the founding of our republic, the 
common school movement and leaders such as Horace Mann provided the 
impetus for the ideal that each and every American should be entitled 
to an education, regardless of economic status.
  America cannot leave kids from middle class working families out of 
the knowledge-based economy and still hope to retain its economic 
standing in a fiercely competitive global environment. At the turn of 
the 20th Century, 10 of the 12 largest companies in America were 
natural resource companies. As we enter the 21st Century, the 10 
largest and most rapidly expanding industries in the world are 
brainpower industries; telecommunications, computer software, 
microelectronics, biotech, material-science, among others. The E-Rate 
is an essential program for our country's economic future.
  Now that the E-Rate program is being implemented, some concerns have 
been raised about access to material on the World Wide Web that is 
inappropriate or unsuitable for children. I have long believed that 
technology can often offer a solution to some of the problems that 
technology creates. Software filtering technology and other blocking 
technology can help to provide some protection in schools to shield 
children from inappropriate online fare. Other solutions may also 
mitigate against minors gaining access to Web sites that parents and 
educators feel are indecent and want to shield from young children.
  I believe that the digital age will present both promise and 
problems. I also believe that we can embrace technological change, use 
it to empower our citizens and also face the challenges that technology 
poses for us. The purpose of the legislation that I am offering today 
is to ensure that local school and library officials think through the 
many issues of online access, and implement a policy for addressing 
access by children. This legislation will ensure that before schools 
and libraries obtain E-Rate funding in the future that they establish 
some policy governing access by minors.

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