A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

          FOR RELEASE                       News Media Contact: Melinda Kitchell Malico     November 7, 1996                                       (202) 401-1008

Statement by Richard W. Riley
U.S. Secretary of Education
on the Decision of the FCC/Joint Board to Provide Universal Service to Schools and Libraries

This strong, bipartisan recommendation by the Joint Board is good news for American education. The proposed discounts are substantial and will lead to significant savings for our nation's schools and libraries.

Almost 70 percent of all schools will get at least a 50 percent discount on a wide range of telecommunications services. By providing the deepest discounts to schools with the largest number of poor children--discounts of up to 90 percent--the Joint Board begins to give these schools a real start to being part of the ongoing telecommunications revolution. This is long overdue. This recommendation coupled with other Administration efforts now underway with the private sector tells me that we are on track to meet the objectives laid out by the President and the Vice-President that all of our nation's schools and libraries are connected to the Internet by the year 2000. I intend to work with educators, librarians and business leaders to encourage strong partnerships to make these recommendations a reality as soon as the FCC gives its final approval next May.

The Joint Board has been conscientious and thorough in its effort to implement the landmark Snowe/Rockefeller Amendment in a meaningful way. I asked the members of the Joint Board to see their decision through the eyes of our nation's students and teachers--to recognize that their decision would truly give millions of young people a new freedom to grow and learn--and to their credit the members of the Board have done just that. I commend all the members of the Board for their good work.

I also commend the members of the Senate--especially Senator Rockefeller, Senator Snowe, Senator Kerry and Senator Exon for their vision in proposing that schools and libraries be included for the first time in the universal service fund. Senator Dorgan and Congressman Markey also need to be recognized for their strong efforts to make the E-rate a reality.

This pro-education and bipartisan vote of the Joint Board is what the American people want from their leaders. Chairman Hundt and the other members of the Joint Board clearly have tuned into the what the American people are thinking when it comes to the education of their children. I thank them for their effort.

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