Bob Kerrey: “The amendment I offer on behalf of myself, Senators Leahy, and Lieberman, is a very straightforward amendment. It…”

“The amendment I offer on behalf of myself, Senators Leahy, and Lieberman, is a very straightforward amendment. It restores $18.9 million to telecommunications and information and infrastructure assistance programs. This program has been highly successful with thousands of applications for this. It is a matching program to get at least 2 for 1 for every dollar that goes out. It is community-based. Community-based organizations across the country have used this program to increase the educational effort in the telecommunications effort. It has created jobs. It has created real advancement of understanding of how this telecommunications revolution can produce benefits at the local level. Mr. President, I understand that some of the objections have been raised to this program; talked about it being something that has not proven up. I urge my colleagues to look at not only the success we have but the backlog coming up. We have enjoyed a tremendous success with this program. It is not a program that is just throwing money out there. It is a program that requires a match from the community level. It is a program that empowers citizens at the local level to make decisions about how they want to increase jobs and education in their own communities. It has a fully funded offset. I hope that my colleagues will consider and support a program that will create jobs, and will create more empowerment for the American people at the local level.”