Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Internet has transformed itself in a few short years from an obscure online outpost frequented mainly by scientists to a mass medium used daily by over 100 million people worldwide. The explosion of information technology has created opportunities undreamed of by previous generations, Companies ranging from garage startups to multinational corporations are bringing their goods and services into the electronic realm at an ever-escalating rate.
Students are able to gain access to educational materials despite their geographical location.
The reason for this looming deficit is the onslaught of data traffic on the network. I authored Section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 because I wanted to ensure the deployment of broadband advanced services to all Americans, both in rural and urban areas. Undoubtedly, that will be critical for American competitiveness as our country enters the 21st century. Given the statistics I just cited, I find it absolutely unbelievable that the Commission could come to such a conclusion. I can certainly tell you that my constituents in rural Montana are not telling me that broadband deployment is widespread.