III

105TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. RES. 51

To express the sense of the Senate regarding the outstanding achievements

of NetDay.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

FEBRUARY 7, 1997

Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Mr. WARNER, Mr. BURNS, Mr. ROBB, Mrs.

MURRAY, and Mrs. BOXER) submitted the following resolution; which was

referred to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources

RESOLUTION

To express the sense of the Senate regarding the outstanding

achievements of NetDay.

Whereas the children of the United States deserve the finest

preparation possible to face the demands of this Nation’s

changing information-based economy;

Whereas in the year 1996, NetDay succeeded in bringing together more than 100,000 volunteers nationwide to install the wiring infrastructure necessary to connect classrooms, from kindergarten to the high school level (K–12),

to the Information Superhighway and bring them the

educational benefits of contemporary technology;

Whereas NetDay succeeded in wiring 25,000 K–12 schools

nationwide efficiently and cost-effectively, while establishing and improving classroom information infrastructure;
2

•SRES 51 IS

Whereas NetDay organizers created a World Wide Web site

(http://www.netday96.com/) with an on-line database of

all public and private K–12 schools, where individuals

with a shared interest in upgrading technology in their

schools can locate each other and form communities with

a lasting interest in their schools;

Whereas NetDay stresses educational opportunity for everyone by reaching out to rural and lower income communities to equalize access to current technology;

Whereas the relationships formed through NetDay activities

and initiatives between schools and their communities will

last well beyond 1996 into the 21st century, and other

communities are already planning to organize future

NetDay projects that build and expand upon the initial

achievements of NetDay in 1996;

Whereas NetDay has substantially increased the visibility of

educational technology issues;

Whereas NetDay enables K–12 schools to move into the information age through community and cyberspace-based

action;

Whereas students and schools benefited from significant

NetDay corporate sponsorship and donations from hundreds of companies and organizations throughout the nation who contributed by sponsoring individual schools,

providing wiring kits, and helping to design and test the

networks;

Whereas NetDay will help facilitate the placement of educational technology, such as computer hardware, software, Internet and technical services, and teaching aids

and training material, in the hands of schools through

NetDay activities nationwide; and
3

•SRES 51 IS

Whereas both past and future NetDay activities across America will save schools and taxpayers millions of dollars in

technology startup costs: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that—

2 (1) the organizers, coordinators, and volunteers

3 of NetDay throughout the United States should be

4 commended for their actions;

5 (2) NetDay’s success should be used as a posi6 tive model in other communities throughout the

7 United States, this year and in future years;

8 (3) NetDay activities should continue to expand

9 nationwide to assist students, parents, and schools

10 across the country, so that they may obtain the full

11 benefits of computer equipment and networks,

12 strengthen their educations, and begin careers with

13 more skills and opportunities in order to help them

14 compete more successfully in the global economy;

15 (4) businesses, students, parents, educators,

16 and unions throughout the country should consider

17 organizing NetDay activities in their communities to

18 provide similar opportunities for their schools; and

19 (5) the Senate affirms its support of NetDay’s

20 commitment to have classrooms of K–12 schools

21 fitted with the needed technological infrastructure

22 for the 21st century.

Æ