HR 4473 IH

To amend the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act to establish a program to distribute funds to State educational agencies to advance the use of technology to effectively teach our students computer skills and improve the general educational performance of students, and for other purposes.

May 16, 2000

Mr. WYNN (for himself and Mr. RUSH) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

To amend the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act to establish a program to distribute funds to State educational agencies to advance the use of technology to effectively teach our students computer skills and improve the general educational performance of students, and for other purposes.

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 `Computers in Our Community Act'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds the following:

(1) There is a growing gap, commonly referred to as the digital divide, between individuals who have access to computers and the Internet and individuals who do not have such access.

(2) Households with incomes of $75,000 or greater are more than 20 times more likely to have access to the Internet, and more than 9 times more likely to have a computer at home, than households with the lowest income levels.

(3) Although 58.9 percent of Americans earning over $75,000 annually frequently use the Internet, only 16 percent of Americans earning between $5,000 and $10,000 annually use the Internet.

(4) Black and Hispanic households are 2/5 as likely to have home Internet access as white households.

(5) The digital divide is an emergency that will detrimentally affect the economy and society of the Nation absent immediate corrective action.

(6) The e-rate program of the Federal Communications Commission ensures that schools and libraries receive telecommunications services at a discounted rate. Although tremendously successful, this program is insufficient because there is twice the demand for funding as there is funding available.

(7) According to statistics by the Department of Education, there is a dire need for additional computers in some schools. Schools with the highest concentrations of poverty had an average of 16 students per instructional computer with Internet access, compared to 7 students for each such computer in schools with the lowest concentrations of poverty.

(8) The computer industry is the fastest growing industry in our country. There is a documented shortage of information technology workers. Increasingly, workers in all fields of employment will need to be computer literate. Ensuring that classrooms have computers that are used effectively to teach students will help meet this need.

SEC. 3. AMENDMENT TO THE NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION ORGANIZATION ACT.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act (47 U.S.C. 901 et seq.) is amended--

(1) by redesignating part C as part D; and

(2) by inserting after part B the following new part:

`PART C--COMPUTERS IN OUR COMMUNITY PROGRAM

`SEC. 131. PURPOSE.

`It is the purpose of this part to establish programs to advance the computer skills of American workers in the global economy and to use computer technology to advance the general educational performance of American students.

`SEC. 132. STATE EDUCATIONAL AGENCY GRANT PROGRAM.

`(a) PROGRAM AUTHORITY- From 85 percent of the amount made available under section 137 for any fiscal year, the Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary, shall make grants to each participating State educational agency for allocation among local educational agencies in such State.

`(b) ALLOCATION OF FUNDS-

`(1) STATE ALLOCATIONS- The Secretary shall allocate to each participating State educational agency an amount that bears the same ratio to such 85 percent of the amount made available under section 137 for a fiscal year as the total amount allocated to such State educational agency under title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 for such fiscal year bears to the total amount allocated to all such participating State educational agencies under such title I for such fiscal year.

`(2) LOCAL ALLOCATIONS- Each participating State educational agency shall allocate to each participating local educational agency an amount that bears the same ratio to the amount allocated to such State for a fiscal year as the total amount allocated to such local educational agency under title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 for such fiscal year bears to the total amount allocated to all such participating local educational agencies in such State under such title I for such fiscal year.

`(c) ELIGIBILITY-

`(1) PARTICIPATING STATE EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES- In order to qualify as a participating State educational agency for purposes of this section, a State educational agency shall create or modify and submit to the Secretary a technology plan that--

`(A) identifies the current ratio of students to computers in each school district in the State, and specifies the Internet connectivity of the computer systems in such districts; and

`(B) complies with such other criteria as the Secretary, in conjunction with the Secretary of Education, shall prescribe to assure that the funds provided under this section are being used properly in schools to advance the use of technology to effectively teach students computer skills and improve the general educational performance of students.

`(2) PARTICIPATING LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES- In order to qualify as a participating local educational agency for purposes of this section, a local educational agency shall create or modify and submit to the State educational agency a technology plan that proves such local educational agency is meeting the goals of the technology plan of the State educational agency.

`(d) USE OF FUNDS- Funds provided under this section may be used for the following:

`(1) The purchase of computers that meet a minimum standard as determined by the Secretary.

`(2) The electrical wiring that schools may require to connect computers to each other and to the Internet.

`(3) Hiring technological assistants to ensure that each school has access to a trained computer professional to provide technology training for teachers and perform maintenance of computer systems. A maximum of 1 technological assistant per 5 elementary schools, 1 technological assistant per 3 middle schools, and 1 technological assistant per 2 high schools may be paid for with such funds.

`SEC. 133. DIGITAL DIVIDE WORKFORCE TRAINING INITIATIVE.

`(a) PROGRAM AUTHORITY- From 5 percent of the amount made available under section 137 for any fiscal year, the Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary, shall carry out a program to award grants, on a competitive basis, to nonprofit organizations for the establishment of job training programs for preparing individuals for computer and technology related jobs.

`(b) CRITERIA- The Secretary, after consultation with the Secretary of Labor, shall establish the criteria for administering the grants under this section, which shall include the following:

`(1) Grants under this section shall be for 2 years.

`(2) Grant applicants shall serve low income individuals, as such term is defined in section 101 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2801).

`(3) Grant applicants may submit an application under this section only after consulting with the appropriate local workforce investment board under such Act, and obtaining a favorable recommendation of the application by such board.

`(c) PRIORITY- In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to applications that--

`(1) are submitted by nonprofit organizations that have experience in providing technological training;

`(2) propose job training programs that will serve individuals most in need of computer and technology training, as determined by the Secretary; and

`(3) provide flexibility in training in order to accommodate a greater number of individuals.

`(d) APPLICATION- To seek a grant under this section, an applicant shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary, in conjunction with the Secretary of Labor, may reasonably prescribe. Each such application shall provide a system for tracking the employment success of individuals who attend any proposed job training program.

`(e) FOLLOW-UP- The Secretary shall review the success of the program under this section and submit a report to Congress thereon not later than 2 years after amounts are first available for implementation of the program.

`SEC. 134. COMMUNITY CENTERS AND LIBRARIES TECHNOLOGY ACCESS GRANTS.

`(a) PROGRAM AUTHORITY- From 5 percent of the amount made available under section 137 for any fiscal year, the Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary, shall carry out a program to award grants, on a competitive basis, to provide assistance to community centers and libraries to provide greater access to, instruction on, and assistance with computers and the Internet.

`(b) CRITERIA- The Secretary shall establish the criteria for administering the grants under this section, which shall include the following:

`(1) Any entity requesting funds under this section shall provide such assurances as the Secretary may require to demonstrate that the entity will provide, from other sources (which may include contributions from State or local government), an equal amount of funds for carrying out the purposes of the grant.

`(2) Eligible recipients of grants under this section shall be community centers that receive Federal, State, or local government funding, public libraries, and nonprofit organizations working in conjunction with such centers and libraries.

`(3) Each recipient of grant funds under this section shall use such funds to establish a program for providing greater access to, instruction on, and assistance with computers and the Internet.

`(4) Grants under this section shall be for 3 years.

`(c) PRIORITY- In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to applications that demonstrate that the program for which funds are sought--

`(1) will be able to sustain funding in the absence of Federal funding; and

`(2) will serve areas with a low rate of access to computers and the Internet.

`(d) APPLICATION- To seek a grant under this section, an applicant shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may reasonably prescribe. Each such application shall include--

`(1) a description of the proposed program, including how the program would will make technology available to areas with a low rate of access to computers and the Internet;

`(2) a demonstration of the need for computers and access to the Internet in the area to be served; and

`(3) a description of the type technology that will be provided.

`SEC. 135. COMPUTER CURRICULUM PARTNERSHIP.

`(a) PROGRAM AUTHORITY- From 5 percent of the amount made available under section 137 for any fiscal year, the Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary, shall carry out a program to award grants, on a competitive basis, to institutions of higher education that create successful partnerships between their education and computer departments to create software or Internet applications--

`(1) to train teachers in using computers, and using computers to teach students; or

`(2) to use in the classroom to teach students.

`(b) CRITERIA- The Secretary, after consultation with the Secretary of Education, shall establish the criteria for administering the grants under this section. Such criteria shall include priorities for awarding funds under this section--

`(1) based on the need of the schools being served and their educational priorities; and

`(2) giving preference to those applicants that will operate their programs in conjunction with local educational agencies.

`(c) CLEARINGHOUSE- The Secretary shall, in conjunction with the Secretary of Education, develop a clearinghouse to make available information derived from the activities of recipients of funds under this section to other schools throughout the United States.

`(d) APPLICATION- To seek a grant under this section, an applicant shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary, in conjunction with the Secretary of Education, may reasonably prescribe. Each application shall include a description of the format of the software or Internet applications to be created.

`SEC. 136. ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.

`Of amounts available to carry out a program to award grants under each of sections 133, 134, and 135, the Secretary may not use more than 1 percent to pay administration costs under that section.

`SEC. 137. REGULATIONS.

`The Secretary may prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out this part.

`SEC. 138. APPROPRIATIONS AUTHORIZED.

`There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part for any fiscal year an amount not to exceed the amount deposited to the Computers in Our Communities Trust Fund for such fiscal year pursuant to section 9511 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

`SEC. 139. DEFINITIONS.

`As used in this part--

`(1) the terms `State educational agency' and `local educational agency' have the meanings provided such terms in section 14101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965; and

`(2) the term `institution of higher education' has the meaning provided such term in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965.'.

SEC. 4. COMPUTERS IN OUR COMMUNITIES TRUST FUND.

(a) IN GENERAL- Subchapter A of chapter 98 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting after section 9510 the following:

`SEC. 9511. COMPUTERS IN OUR COMMUNITIES TRUST FUND.

`(a) CREATION OF TRUST FUND- There is established in the Treasury of the United States a trust fund to be known as the `Computers in Our Communities Trust Fund', consisting of such amounts as may be appropriated or credited pursuant to this section or section 9602(b).

`(b) TRANSFER TO COMPUTERS IN OUR COMMUNITIES TRUST FUND AMOUNTS EQUIVALENT TO CERTAIN TAXES- There are hereby appropriated to the Computers in Our Communities Trust Fund amounts equivalent to 100 percent of the taxes received in the Treasury after September 30, 2000, under section 4251 (relating to tax on communications).

`(c) EXPENDITURES FROM COMPUTERS IN OUR COMMUNITIES TRUST FUND- Amounts in the Computers in Our Communities Trust Fund shall be available for making appropriations to carry out the provisions of part C of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act.'.

(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT- The table of sections for such subchapter A is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

`Sec. 9511. Computers in Our Communities Trust Fund.'

SEC. 5. REDUCTION OF EXCISE TAX ON TELEPHONE AND OTHER COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES.

(a) IN GENERAL- Section 4251(b)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended to read as follows:

`(2) APPLICABLE PERCENTAGE- The term `applicable percentage' means 1 percent.'

(b) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply to amounts paid pursuant to bills first rendered after September 30, 2000.

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