[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 134 (Wednesday, October 6, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2036]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                              TECHIES DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN B. LARSON

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 5, 1999

  Mr. LARSON. Mr. Speaker, as Congress continues to debate next year's 
budget, America continues to face two mounting problems: a growing 
information technology worker shortage, and a persisting ``digital 
divide'' between the information rich and the information poor.
  Reports estimate that there are approximately 350,000 unfilled 
technology jobs available in America, a shortage that threatens the 
future growth of the sector that is responsible for driving America's 
unprecedented economic success. Clearly, the demand for highly-skilled 
information technology workers vastly outweighs the supply.
  Further confirmation of this problem came in the Department of 
Commerce's July report entitled, ``Falling Through the Net,'' which 
highlighted a persisting ``digital divide'' characterized by a 
disparity of race, gender, wealth, and geography.
  It is, thus, with the intention of focusing public attention on these 
two problems, that I lend my support today to the first national 
``Techies Day'' being held today. Its goal is to reverse these trends 
by inspiring more of America's youth to enter science and technology 
fields.
  To mark this day, the Association for Competitive Technology, an 
alliance of Information Technology businesses, will bring technology 
professionals to the Kids Computer Workshop in Washington, D.C., an 
after-school technology program that works with underserved kids in the 
District. By showing youth that technology careers are within their 
reach, these ``techies'' will bridge the gap for kids who find 
themselves on the wrong side of the ``digital divide'' and begin to 
reduce America's information technology workforce deficit.
  Mr. Speaker, if the private sector is recognizing its role in 
bridging the gap between the information ``haves'' and the ``have-
nots,'' I believe Congress should recognize its role too. It is my hope 
that through efforts such as Techies Day, Congress will realize that it 
can, and should, make a difference.

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