E-Rate Faces New Challenges
Contact House Commerce Committee Members and Tell Them to Support
the E-Rate
Over the next several weeks, a number of events are expected to occur
that will cast an unflattering light on the E-Rate program. The most
significant events, and the ones most likely to receive press coverage,
are two much-anticipated hearings on E-Rate waste, fraud and abuse that
the House Commerce Committee, chaired by Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-La), and
its Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, chaired by Rep. James
Greenwood (R-PA), will hold. Additionally, the Federal Communications
Commission may release its order resolving the School and Library
Division ' s (SLD) rejection of a number of E-Rate applications from
large urban school districts because of alleged competitive bidding
irregularities. Lastly, the SLD ' s E-Rate Waste, Fraud and Abuse Task
Force is preparing to release its final report in which it will likely
recommend drastic program changes designed to stem questionable
applicant practices. All of this will result in intense press scrutiny
of the program and possible calls for legislation to weaken or eliminate
the E-Rate program.
Now is the time to remind the House Commerce Committee of ISTE ' s
stands on curbing waste, fraud and abuse in the E-Rate program and of
all the good work that the E-Rate has done since its inception. We urge
you to call or write these Committee members and tell them to support
the E-Rate.
We recommend that you tell the House Commerce Committee that:
- ISTE has strongly supported empowering the FCC and SLD to sanction
any entity that willfully and consistently violates program rules and
believe that any sanctions imposed should be proportionate to the
offense committed.
- While ISTE has been greatly disappointed in those instances of
waste, fraud and abuse in the E-Rate program that have emerged, we
believe that those episodes constitute a small portion of all
applications processed and that Congress should not " throw the baby
out with the bathwater. "
- ISTE asserts that schools are spending copious amounts of time and
money to comply with the E-Rate ' s rules and regulations. A recent
report commissioned by the Education and Library Networks Coalition,
of which ISTE is a member, found that " schools and libraries are
devoting significant resources and exercising great care in completing
E-Rate applications. " Before selecting a service provider each year,
the Miami Dade school district, updates its technology plan,
undertakes an extensive bid review process that uses a committee of
technical experts to review each bid, and considers the financial
aspects of each bid.
- The E-Rate has proven to be an incredible success story. Since its
inception in 1998, the E-Rate has provided $11 billion in deep
discounts on telecommunications, Internet access and internal
connections to public schools nationwide. Internet access rates for
public school classrooms have risen to 87% and low-income urban and
rural communities have not been left behind: as of 2001, 82% of urban
classrooms and 89% of rural classrooms were connected to the Internet.
Beyond merely connecting classrooms, the E-Rate is helping schools
improve student achievement and comply with the No Child Left Behind
Act. EdLiNC ' s report details numerous instances where the E-Rate has
been of great service to schools nationwide, including by delivering
online distance learning courses and teacher accreditation courses,
helping facilitate parental contact with parents and school
administrators, and providing teachers new resources to identify
student academic weaknesses and target assistance to those areas.
Here is the contact information for key House Commerce Committee
members:
Chairman Billy Tauzin (R-LA) -- (202) 225-2927
House Energy and Commerce Committee
2125 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Rep. John Dingell (D-MI) -(202) 225-4071
2328 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Rep. James Greenwood (R-PA) - (202) 225-4276
2436 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Rep. Michael Bilirakis (R-FL) - (202) 225-5755
2269 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL) - (202) 225-5744
2370 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Rep. Richard Burr (R-NC) - (202) 225-2071
1526 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Rep. Charles Bass (R-ME) - (202) 225-5206
2421 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR) -- (202) 225-6730
1404 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Rep. Michael Ferguson (R-NJ) - (202) 225-5361
214 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Rep. Michael J. Rogers (R-MI) - (202) 225-4872
133 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Rep. Peter Deutsch (D-FL) - (202) 225-7931
2303 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) - (202) 225-4431
1530 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Rep. Jim Davis (D-FL) - (202) 225-3376
409 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) - (202) 225-2111
515 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) - (202) 225-3976
2204 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL) - (202) 225-4372
2416 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
PLEASE CALL OR WRITE TODAY! |