Byron Dorgan: “the Administration recently launched a new website, www.firstgov.gov. That website is the first all-government portal…”

“the Administration recently launched a new website, www.firstgov.gov. That website is the first all-government portal and will offer one stop information from over 20,000 separate federal websites. This promises to be a great tool. Throughout the country people will be able to download tax forms, read up on the status of legislation, better understand the Social Security system. But Mr. President, meaningful access to all of the important information depends on what side of the Digital Divide you find yourself. To benefit from websites like firstgov, you must have a computer and understand how to use it, and you must have an Internet connection with speeds fast enough to search databases, view graphics and download documents. As the demand for high speed Internet access grows, numerous companies are responding in areas of dense population. While urban America is quickly gaining high speed access, rural America is being left behind. Ensuring that all Americans have the technological capability is essential in this digital age. It is not only an issue of fairness, but it is also an issue of economic survival. To remedy the information gap between urban and rural America, I along with Senator Daschle introduced S. 2307, the Rural Broadband Enhancement Act, which gives new authority to the Rural Utilities Service to make low interest loans to companies that are deploying broadband technology to rural America.”