[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 17, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S678-S679]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. WARNER (for himself, Mr. Webb, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Cornyn, 
        Mr. Thune, and Mr. Graham):
  S. 315. A bill to establish a digital and wireless network technology 
program, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation.
  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I rise today to reintroduce the Minority 
Serving Institution Digital and Wireless Technology Opportunity Act. 
This legislation, which was crafted by Senator Allen and I in years 
past, will provide vital resources to address the technology gap that 
exists at many Minority Serving Institutions, MSIs.
  In the past, Senator Allen took the role of lead sponsor on this 
important bill. With his leadership, this exact legislation has passed 
twice unanimously. Unfortunately, the 109th Congress adjourned before 
the House of Representatives considered the bill. Accordingly, today I 
am privileged to serve as the lead sponsor of this legislation in the 
110th Congress. I am pleased to have my Virginia colleague Senator Jim 
Webb as an original cosponsor of this bill. I hope this important bill 
will soon become law.
  Over 60 percent of all jobs require information technology skills. 
Jobs in the information technology field pay significantly higher 
salaries than jobs in non-information technology fields. At the same 
time, many of our Minority Serving Institutions lack the capital to 
offer assistance to their students to bridge the ``Digital Divide'' 
between students who are able to develop the skills necessary to 
succeed in

[[Page S679]]

a technology based economy and those who are not.
  This legislation will establish a grant program for these 
institutions of higher education to bring increased access to 
computers, technology, and the Internet to their student populations. 
Specifically, this legislation authorizes $250 million in Federal 
grants for Minority Serving Institutions to acquire equipment, 
instrumentation, networking capability, hardware and software, digital 
network technology and wireless technology and infrastructure to 
develop and provide educational services. In addition, the grants could 
be used for such activities as campus wiring, equipment upgrades, and 
technology training. Finally, Minority Serving Institutions could use 
these funds to offer their students universal access to campus 
networks, increase connectivity rates, or make infrastructure 
improvements.
  I am proud to say that Virginia is home to five Historically Black 
Colleges and Universities, HBCUs--Norfolk State University, St. Paul's 
College, Virginia Union University, Hampton University, and Virginia 
State University--that are eligible for these technology grants. There 
are over 200 Hispanic Serving Institutions, over 100 Historically Black 
Colleges and Universities and over 30 Tribal Colleges throughout the 
United States.
  Again, in 2005, this bill passed in the Senate by unanimous consent. 
In 2003, this bill passed in the Senate with a roll call vote of 97-0. 
I am pleased to support this legislation, as I have done in the past, 
and I look forward to strengthening the technology provided to students 
at Minority Serving Institutions.
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