[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 25 (Wednesday, February 28, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1705-S1708]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CLELAND (for himself, Mr. Hollings, Mr. Stevens, Mr. 
        Inouye, and Mr. Breaux):
  S. 414. A bill to amend the National Telecommunications and 
Information Administration Organization Act to establish a digital 
network technology program, and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, last October the U.S. Department of 
Commerce published its latest report on Internet access in the United 
States. According to the Department's Falling Through the Net: Toward 
Digital Inclusion, more Americans than ever are connected to the 
Internet and groups that have traditionally been digital ``have nots'' 
are making significant gains. Although a record number of Americans 
have Internet access, the report concludes that a ``digital divide'' 
still exists ``between those with different levels of income and 
education, different racial and ethnic groups, old and young, single 
and dual-parent families, and those with and without disabilities.''
  Increasing numbers of Americans are using the Internet to vote, shop, 
pay bills, take education courses, and acquire new skills. Now more 
than ever it is critical that all Americans have the tools necessary 
for full participation in the Information Age economy. However, the 
Commerce report finds that in some cases, the digital divide has 
expanded over the last 20 months. For example, the gap in Internet 
access rates between African American households and the nation as a 
whole is now 18 percent, 3 percent more than in December 1998. And the 
gap in Internet access between Hispanic households and the national 
average is 17.9 percent, 4.3 percent more than it was 20 months ago.
  America's higher education institutions are demonstrating similar 
trends, persistent inequities in a generally improving picture. Last 
year the Department of Commerce teamed up with the National Association 
for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education, NAFEO, to undertake, for the 
first time ever, an in-depth study of Internet access at Historically 
Black Colleges and Universities, HBCUs, across America. The result was 
the landmark Historically Black Colleges and Universities: An 
Assessment of Networking and Connectivity. The report found that 98 
percent of the 80 HBCUs surveyed had basic access to the Internet, 
World Wide Web, and campus networks. At the same time, however, the 
report also found ``serious areas of digital divide in student access, 
high-speed connectivity and insufficient infrastructure.''
  In particular, the Commerce study reported that fewer than 25 percent 
of HBCU students, or only 1 out of every 4, personally own computers, 
compared to 49 percent of students in institutions of higher education 
as a whole. Further, only two HBCUs, or 3 percent, indicated that 
financial aid was available to help their students close the ``computer 
ownership gap.'' In addition, half of the HBCU campuses surveyed did 
not provide student access to computing resources at a critical 
location--the campus dormitory. And most of the campuses lacked high-
speed connectivity to the Internet and World Wide Web, a key area and 
one that the report speculated may ``restrict HBCUs from making the 
digital leap into the 21st Century.'' In regard to rural, private 
HBCUs, the Commerce report found ``a significant technology gap.''
  There have been to date no published studies of Internet-connectivity 
at either Hispanic-Serving Institutions, HSIs, or Tribal Colleges and 
Universities which are comparable to the October 2000 U.S. Department 
of Commerce report. Nevertheless, we have hard data which point to this 
alarming conclusion: Serious digital divide issues exist which affect 
the ability of Minority-Serving Institutions, MSIs, to be competitive 
with other institutions of higher learning in the Information Age. With 
their high level of poverty, and with only 8 percent of all American 
Indian households having Internet access, Jose C. de Baca, executive 
director of the American Indian Science and Technology Education 
Consortium, says that ``American Indians are the ethnic group most 
likely to

[[Page S1706]]

be caught on the wrong side of the digital divide.'' Tribal Colleges 
offer an important technology opportunity for these isolated American 
Indian reservation communities. However, studies show that while most 
U.S. universities need access to T-3 lines for necessary research and 
data flow, only one Tribal College currently has access to that 
bandwidth. Moreover, less than half of the Tribal Colleges can access 
smaller T-1 lines and this access is sporadic. In fact, many Tribal 
Colleges are not even networked to provide intra-campus e-mail service 
(``Circle of Prosperity: A Vision for the Technological Future of 
Tribal Colleges and American Indians'').
  Similarly, Hispanic-Serving Institutions can have a powerful impact 
on the Digital Divide in the Hispanic community, but in testimony to 
the Congressional Web-based Education Commission, Dr. Antonio Perez, 
representing the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, 
HACU, stated that there is an acute shortage of Hispanic faculty in the 
areas of information technology. According to the Computing Research 
Association Taulbee Survey of institutions granting doctoral degrees in 
computer science and computer engineering, only two percent of the 
Computer Science and one percent of the Computer Engineering Ph.D. 
recipients were Hispanics for 1998-1999. Dr. Perez stated that this 
proportion ``typifies Hispanic and minority professional participation 
in Information Technology in general,'' and in his testimony he 
underscored the need for federal assistance if Hispanic-Serving 
Institutions are to become ``equal partners'' in this new Information 
Age.
  In an effort to address the technology gap that exists at Minority-
Serving Institutions across the country, today I am joined by my 
distinguished colleagues, Senator Hollings, Senator Stevens, and 
Senator Inouye, in introducing the National Technology Instrumentation 
Challenge Act. This legislation would create a new grant program within 
the Department of Commerce, the center of technological expertise and 
innovation in the federal government. Our bill would provide up to $250 
million to help Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-
Serving Institutions, and Tribal Colleges and Universities bridge the 
Digital Divide. The grant money could be used for such activities as 
campus wiring, equipment upgrade, technology training, and hardware and 
software acquisition. A Minority-Serving Institution, for example, 
could use funds provided under this legislation to offer its students 
universal access to campus networks and computing resources. Or they 
might choose to use their grant money to dramatically increase their 
connectivity speed rates beyond the T-1 level. In sum, this legislation 
offers a significant opportunity for those institutions serving the 
largest concentrations of the nation's minority students to keep pace 
with the advancing technologies of the 21st Century.
  In the ever expanding and always exciting world of the Information 
Highway, it should be our mandate to work to ensure that no one in this 
country is left behind, least of all our leaders of tomorrow. The 
National Technology Instrumentation Challenge Act is a positive step in 
creating digital opportunity for all students in America, in whose 
hands the future of this great nation rests. The legislation is 
endorsed by the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher 
Education, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored 
People, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, the 
American Indian Higher Education Consortium, the Alliance for Equity in 
Higher Education, the League of United Latin American Citizens, the 
National Indian Education Association, the Native Hawaiian Education 
Association, the National Indian School Board Association, the United 
National Indian Tribal Youth, and the Atlanta University Center.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill and 
the letters of support be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 414

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``NTIA Digital Network 
     Technology Program Act''.

     SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.

       The National Telecommunications and Information 
     Administration Organization Act (47 U.S.C. 901 et seq.) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:

              ``PART D--DIGITAL NETWORK TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM

     ``SEC. 171. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

       ``The Secretary shall establish, within the NTIA's 
     Technology Opportunities Program a digital network 
     technologies program to strengthen the capacity of eligible 
     institutions to provide instruction in digital network 
     technologies by providing grants to, or executing contracts 
     or cooperative agreements with, those institutions to provide 
     such instruction.

     ``SEC. 172. ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED.

       ``An eligible institution shall use a grant, contract, or 
     cooperative agreement awarded under this part--
       ``(1) to acquire the equipment, instrumentation, networking 
     capability, hardware and software, digital network 
     technology, and infrastructure necessary to teach students 
     and teachers about technology in the classroom;
       ``(2) to develop and provide educational services, 
     including faculty development, to prepare students or faculty 
     seeking a degree or certificate that is approved by the 
     State, or a regional accrediting body recognized by the 
     Secretary of Education;
       ``(3) to provide teacher education, library and media 
     specialist training, and preschool and teacher aid 
     certification to individuals who seek to acquire or 
     enhance technology skills in order to use technology in 
     the classroom or instructional process;
       ``(4) implement a joint project to provide education 
     regarding technology in the classroom with a State or State 
     education agency, local education agency, community-based 
     organization, national non-profit organization, or business, 
     including minority business or a business located in HUB 
     zones, as defined by the Small Business Administration; or
       ``(5) provide leadership development to administrators, 
     board members, and faculty of eligible institutions with 
     institutional responsibility for technology education.

     ``SEC. 173. APPLICATION AND REVIEW PROCEDURE.

       ``(a) In General.--To be eligible to receive a grant, 
     contract, or cooperative agreement under this part, an 
     eligible institution shall submit an application to the 
     Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by 
     such information as the Secretary may reasonably require. The 
     Secretary, in consultation with the panel described in 
     subsection (b), shall establish a procedure by which to 
     accept such applications and publish an announcement of such 
     procedure, including a statement regarding the availability 
     of funds, in the Federal Register.
       ``(b) Peer Review Panel.--The Secretary shall establish a 
     peer review panel to aid the Secretary in establishing the 
     application procedure described in subsection (a) and 
     selecting applicants to receive grants, contracts, and 
     cooperative agreements under section 171. In selecting the 
     members for such panel, the Secretary may consult with 
     appropriate cabinet-level officials, representatives of non-
     Federal organizations, and representatives of eligible 
     institutions to ensure that the membership of such panel 
     reflects membership of the minority higher education 
     community, including Federal agency personnel and other 
     individuals who are knowledgeable about issues regarding 
     minority education institutions.

     ``SEC. 174. MATCHING REQUIREMENT.

       ``The Secretary may not award a grant, contract, or 
     cooperative agreement to an eligible institution under this 
     part unless such institution agrees that, with respect to the 
     costs to be incurred by the institution in carrying out the 
     program for which the grant, contract, or cooperative 
     agreement was awarded, such institution will make available 
     (directly or through donations from public or private 
     entities) non-Federal contributions in an amount equal to \1/
     4\ of the amount of the grant, contract, or cooperative 
     agreement awarded by the Secretary, or $500,000, whichever is 
     the lesser amount. The Secretary shall waive the matching 
     requirement for any institution or consortium with no 
     endowment, or an endowment that has a current dollar value 
     lower than $50,000,000.

     ``SEC. 175. LIMITATION.

       ``An eligible institution that receives a grant, contract, 
     or cooperative agreement under this part that exceeds 
     $2,500,000, shall not be eligible to receive another grant, 
     contract, or cooperative agreement under this part until 
     every other eligible institution has received a grant, 
     contract, or cooperative agreement under this part.

     ``SEC. 176. ANNUAL REPORT AND EVALUATION.

       ``(a) Annual Report Required From Recipients.--Each 
     institution that receives a grant, contract, or cooperative 
     agreement under this part shall provide an annual report to 
     the Secretary on its use of the grant, contract, or 
     cooperative agreement.
       ``(b) Evaluation by Secretary.--The Secretary, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of Education, shall--
       ``(1) review the reports provided under subsection (a) each 
     year;
       ``(2) evaluate the program authorized by section 171 on the 
     basis of those reports; and

[[Page S1707]]

       ``(3) conduct a final evaluation at the end of the third 
     year.
       ``(c) Contents of Evaluation.--The Secretary, in the 
     evaluation, shall describe the activities undertaken by those 
     institutions and shall assess the short-range and long-range 
     impact of activities carried out under the grant, contract, 
     or cooperative agreement on the students, faculty, and staff 
     of the institutions.
       ``(d) Report to Congress.--The Secretary shall submit a 
     report to the Congress based on the final evaluation within 1 
     year after conducting the final evaluation. In the report, 
     the Secretary shall include such recommendations, including 
     recommendations concerning the continuing need for Federal 
     support of the program, as may be appropriate.''.

     SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

       Section 102(a) of the National Telecommunications and 
     Information Administration Organization Act (47 U.S.C. 901(a) 
     is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(6) Eligible institution defined.--The term ``eligible 
     institution'' means an institution that is--
       ``(A) a historically Black college or university that is a 
     part B institution, as defined in section 322(2) of the 
     Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061(2)), an 
     institution described in section 326(e)(1)(A), (B), or (C) of 
     that Act (20 U.S.C. 1063b(e)(1)(A), (B), or (C) of the Act 
     (20 U.S.C. 1063b(e)(1)(A), (B), or (C)), or a consortium of 
     institutions described in this subparagraph;
       ``(B) a Hispanic-serving institution, as defined in section 
     502(a)(5) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     1101a(a)(5));
       ``(C) a tribally controlled college or university, as 
     defined in section 316(b)(3) of the Higher Education Act of 
     1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b)(3));
       ``(D) an Alaska Native-serving institution under section 
     317(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     1059d(b));
       ``(E) a Native Hawaiian-serving institution under section 
     317(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     1059d(b)); or
       ``(F) an institution determined by the Secretary, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of Education, to have 
     enrolled a substantial number of minority, low-income 
     students during the previous academic year who received 
     assistance under subpart I of part A of title IV of the 
     Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a et seq.) for 
     that year.''.

     SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of 
     Commerce not more than $250,000,000 for fiscal year 2002, and 
     such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2003 through 
     2007, to carry out part D of the National Telecommunications 
     and Information Administration Organization Act.
                                  ____

                                               Alliance for Equity


                                          in Higher Education,

                                Washington, DC, February 21, 2001.
     Hon. Max Cleland,
     U.S. Senate, Dirksen Senate Office Building,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Cleland: On behalf of the Alliance for Equity 
     in Higher Education--a national coalition of higher education 
     associations that serves over 320 member institutions and 
     educates more than one-third of all students of color in the 
     United States--we would like to extend our joint support and 
     appreciation for the ``National Technology Instrumentation 
     Challenge Act'' legislation.
       The Alliance for Equity in Higher Education, which was 
     established in July 1999 by the American Indian Higher 
     Education Consortium (AIHEC), the Hispanic Association of 
     Colleges and Universities (HACU), and the National 
     Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education 
     (NAFEO), has identified the technology gap facing Tribal 
     Colleges and Universities (TCUs), Hispanic-Serving 
     Institutions (HSIs), and Historically and Predominantly Black 
     Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) as one of its primary 
     policy focuses. In fact, the Alliance is hosting an 
     interactive planning meeting at the end of this month to 
     explore the application of information technology at 
     minority-serving colleges and universities. Your legislation 
     will provide our students, faculty, and staff with the 
     essential skills and training in the use of technology, a 
     significant need on all our campuses.
       As you know, among minority groups, the need to increase 
     the capacities of students and faculty as active participants 
     in the world of technology is paramount. For example, 
     approximately 75 percent of students attending 80 NAFEO-
     member HBCUs indicated that they do not own their own 
     computers, and 85 percent of surveyed HBCUs do not offer 
     academic degrees through distance learning. Many TCUs cannot 
     even provide intra-campus email to students and faculty, and 
     only one TCU has access to a high speed bandwidth. In 
     addition, only 24 percent of Hispanic households had Internet 
     access in 2000, and HSIs serve a majority of Hispanic 
     students entering postsecondary education.
       The Alliance for Equity in Higher Education appreciates you 
     spearheading this effort and encouraging our students and 
     institutions to be competitive players in the higher 
     education community as well as the 21st Century workforce. We 
     welcome the opportunity of offer our assistance in 
     championing this important initiative.
           Sincerely,
     Antonio Flores,
       President, HACU.
     Gerald Gipp,
       Executive Director, AIHEC.
     Henry Ponder,
       President, NAFEO.
                                  ____

         National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher 
           Education,
                             Silver Spring, MD, February 14, 2001.
     Hon. Max Cleland,
     U.S. Senate, Senate Dirksen Building,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Cleland: On behalf of the National Association 
     for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO), we want to 
     thank you for introducing legislation which will help address 
     one of the greatest challenges facing the American 
     educational system today--the emerging digital divide between 
     students who have access to the information highway and those 
     who do not. We strongly support your legislation, the 
     National Technology Instrumentation Challenge Act, which 
     would provide an essential tool in bridging the growing high-
     tech gap which exists for certain of this nation's 
     institutions of higher learning.
       As revealed in a recent survey of 80 Historically Black 
     Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) by the U.S. Department of 
     Commerce and NAFEO, fifty percent of these institutions do 
     not have computers available in the location most accessible 
     to students, their dormitories. Additionally, most HBCUs do 
     not have high-speed connectivity to the Internet and World 
     Wide Web, and only three percent of these colleges and 
     universities indicated that financial aid was available to 
     help their students close the ``computer ownership gap.''
       Making high tech grant money available to HBCUs, Hispanic-
     serving institutions and tribal colleges and universities 
     would help these institutions acquire computers, wire their 
     campuses and provide technology training. In doing so, your 
     bill would provide these institutions with the opportunity to 
     become competitive with other colleges and universities in 
     the Information Age. The National Technology Instrumentation 
     Challenge Act would make a significant contribution by 
     helping to place the tools of tomorrow's technology into the 
     hands of tomorrow's leaders. Once again, we commend you on 
     the introduction of this important piece of legislation.
       Thanks for all you do in ``keeping the doors of opportunity 
     open.''
           Sincerely,
                                                     Henry Ponder,
     CEO/President.
                                  ____

                                            American Indian Higher


                                         Education Consortium,

                                    Alexandria, VA, February 2001.
       Dear Senator: On behalf of the nation's 32 Tribal Colleges 
     and Universities that comprise the American Indian Higher 
     Education Consortium (AIHEC), we respectfully request your 
     support for legislation to be introduced by Senator Cleland 
     in the very near future. This legislation to be titled the 
     ``National Technology Instrumentation Challenge Act, will 
     establish a program within the Department of Commerce, 
     National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) to 
     fund Tribal Colleges and Universities, as well as 
     Historically Black College and Universities, Hispanic Serving 
     Institutions of Higher Education and Alaska Native and Native 
     Hawaiian educational organizations in an effort to teach 
     technology skills to both teachers and students.
       Tribal Colleges serve remote, isolated American Indian 
     reservation communities, many of which are located on federal 
     trust lands, and therefore do not have the resources or tax 
     base to fully support a college. State governments provide 
     little or no funding, while the Federal government funds the 
     colleges at only slightly over half of the authorized level. 
     For many Tribal College students the next nearest college is 
     more than 100 miles away. With other priorities, such as 
     fixing leaky roofs and upgrading substandard wiring and 
     inadequate heating systems, it is nearly impossible to keep 
     pace with advancing technologies.
       Among American Indian households, only 9 percent have 
     computers compared to 23.2 percent of African American 
     households, 25.5 percent of Hispanic and about 47 percent of 
     White Americans. For necessary research and information flow, 
     most US universities need access to T-3 lines. Currently, 
     only one Tribal College has access to that bandwidth. Many 
     Tribal Colleges are not even networked to provide intra-
     campus e-mail service. Without financial help to secure the 
     proper facilities equipment and training, we will rapidly 
     fall behind in our ability to prepare our teachers and 
     students in uses of current and emerging technology systems.
       AIHEC's 32 member colleges, 26,000 students and the 250 
     tribal nations we serve are extremely grateful to Senator 
     Cleland for championing this effort and for your support. The 
     success of this legislation will be a tremendous step in 
     bringing the Tribal Colleges and other MSIs much needed 
     resources to prepare our students to compete in the workforce 
     of the 21st Century.
           Respectfully,
                                                Dr. James Shanley,
     President, Fort Peck Community College.
                                  ____

                                                   National Indian


                                        Education Association,

                                 Alexandria, VA February 13, 2001.
     Hon. Max Cleland,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Senator Cleland: The National Indian Education Association 
     (NIEA) is pleased to

[[Page S1708]]

     offer its support for the proposed ``National Technology 
     Instrumentation Challenge Act'' you intend to introduce 
     before Congress today. As a national advocate on behalf of 
     the education concerns of American Indians, Alaska Natives, 
     and Native Hawaiians, the National Indian Education 
     Association is pleased to see a legislative proposal that 
     targets one of the most pressing needs in Indian and Native 
     Hawaiian communities.
       As administered by the Secretary of Commerce, the program 
     would empower minority institutions, including tribal 
     colleges and Alaska Native organizations, to carry out 
     national technology instrumentation programs. These programs 
     will teach technology skills to teachers and students in 
     uniquely rural and urban settings. Indian communities will 
     stand to benefit greatly from this initiative as they 
     struggle to meet the ever-increasing needs of their tribal 
     members. Experience has shown that reservation communities 
     often are the last segment of the population to benefit from 
     the power that technology can offer. These dollars will allow 
     for an equal playing field as our Indian institutions prepare 
     students for the challenges of the new millennium.
       This legislation will also equip tribal and minority-
     serving institutions with the tools, services and 
     infrastructure needed to teach the latest advancements in 
     technology as they relate to the student in the classroom. 
     Students have the uncanny ability to grasp the meaning of 
     technology faster than many adults and this endeavor captures 
     that youthful ability to learn.
       We look forward to working with your office and the 
     Secretary of Commerce when this legislation becomes law. We 
     are also pleased to inform the Senator that we have gained 
     additional support for this legislation from three of our 
     national American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian 
     partners. These include: The National Indian School Board 
     Association (NISBA); United National Indian Tribal Youth 
     (UNITY); and the Native Hawaiian Education Association 
     (NHEA).
       Again, on behalf of the three thousand members of NIEA and 
     our educational partners, we look forward to a fruitful and 
     productive 107th Congress. Thank you for your support.
           With Best Regards,
                                                    John W. Cheek,
                                               Executive Director.
                                 ______