[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 16]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 22187]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                HONORING SIERRA TEL COMMUNICATIONS GROUP

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 16, 2003

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Sierra 
Tel Communications Group in honor of California Small and Rural 
Telecommunications Week. An event was held in Sierra Tel's honor on 
Sunday, September 14th in Oakhurst, California.
  Small and rural telephone companies will be participating in National 
Small Telecommunications Week from September 15th through September 
21st. Rural telephone companies will acknowledge and reflect on the 
great advancements made in their industry. For more than 100 years 
small, country telecommunications companies have provided high-quality 
services to rural America. These companies have long been known for 
their state-of-the-art technology and superior, cutting-edge services. 
Over 1,100 small rural companies are in existence serving areas the 
larger companies choose not to serve due to factors such as topography, 
population, and profitability.
  Independent rural telephone companies, like Sierra Tel, play an 
important role in the telecommunications industry as well as their 
local communities. They ensure that large telecom interests do not 
override the needs of rural America, and they work on behalf of the 
people to keep rates affordable. The local telecommunications company 
is vital to the economic development efforts of the community, often 
providing jobs and local leadership.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sierra Tel Communications 
Group for its commitment and service to their community. I invite my 
colleagues to join me in honoring Sierra Tel during California Small 
and Rural Telecommunications Week.

                          ____________________