FCC Chairman's E-Rate Recommendation
                                              Release No. 0194.99
  Statement               
                                       by 
                                             
                  Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman on
                      FCC Chairman's E-Rate Recommendation
                          Washington, D.C. - May 5, 1999

The following statement was issued today by Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman
in response to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Bill Kennard's
recommendation to preserve the nation's E-rate program. This program is
financed by the telecommunications industry to provide Information Superhighway
service and connection discounts to schools, libraries and healthcare
providers.


     "FCC Chairman Kennard's recommendation in support of full funding for the
E-rate program would ensure that rural communities in America can become full
partners in the Information Age. With the commission's full support, E-rate
funds along with the Department of Agriculture's Rural Development programs
will help improve rural schools, libraries, health care facilities and
telecommunications service. 

     "USDA's Distance Learning and Telemedicine program, for example, works
with the E-rate program and will make it possible to connect every school to
the information superhighway by the end of the year 2000, fulfilling the vision
of President Clinton and Vice President Gore. 

     "Without the financial support provided by the E-rate, many rural schools
and libraries will not be able to provide students and others with access to
the information superhighway, which is rapidly changing the way the world
communicates and does business. This would place rural students at a
competitive disadvantage in the job marketplace and could make rural
communities less attractive places for new businesses to locate.   

     "I applaud Chairman Kennard and urge the other FCC commissioners to
support this commitment to invest in the future of rural America."

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