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 STATEMENT  OF  COMMSSIONER  MICHAEL  J.  COPPS 
 Re:  Schools  and  Libraries  Universal  Service  Support  Mechanism  (CC  Docket  No.  02-  6),  Third  Report  and  Order  and  Second  Further  Notice  of  Proposed 
 Rulemaking 
 Great  programs  like  E-  Rate  do  not  thrive  without  regular  review  and  care.  With  justifiable  pride  we  can  now  say  that  92  percent  of  public  school  classrooms  are 
 connected  to  the  Internet.  Only  14  percent  of  these  classrooms  were  connected  when  Congress  passed  the  Telecommunications  Act  in  1996.  Yet  the  gains  we  have  made  will 
 evaporate  without  our  continued  vigilance.  This  leads  me  to  support  today’s  decision.  It  is  one  in  a  series  of  positive  steps  we  are  taking  at  the  Commission  to  ensure  that  the  E-Rate 
 program  functions  with  the  integrity  it  must  have. 
 I  am  particularly  pleased  that  today  we  finally  formalize  the  process  for  making  available  carryover  funds  from  prior  years.  This  is  a  major  step  forward.  I  also  think  our 
 new  rule  limiting  support  for  internal  connections  to  two  times  within  a  five-  year  period  strikes  the  right  balance  between  applicant  needs  and  efficient  use  of  program  support. 
 These  are  but  two  of  numerous  positive  steps  contained  in  this  item. 
 We  don’t  solve  all  problems  today,  however.  An  abrupt  change  in  the  eligible  services  list  has  left  applications  from  rural  schools  and  libraries  in  North  Dakota  and 
 elsewhere  high  and  dry.  These  rural  schools  and  libraries  have  built  cost-  effective  networks  based  on  the  use  of  dark  fiber.  Now  the  signals  have  changed  and  dark  fiber  is 
 no  longer  eligible.  We  need  to  reverse  this  recent  action  and  get  our  policy  regarding  support  for  dark  fiber  straight  once  and  for  all.  I  see  nothing  in  Section  254(  h)  that 
 compels  the  exclusion  of  dark  fiber  facilities  from  E-  Rate  program  support.  I  hope  we  can  correct  this  mistake  as  soon  as  possible. 


 Finally,  I  think  all  supporters  of  the  E-  rate  should  frequently  caution  themselves  that  we  not  add  to  the  growing  complexity  of  the  application  process.  As  we  tighten 
 procedures  and  take  necessary  steps  to  weed  out  waste  and  fraud  in  the  program,  we  could  unwittingly  make  the  application  process  so  daunting  as  to  discourage  needy 
 schools  and  libraries  from  even  applying.  As  we  strive  to  improve  accountability,  so  also  should  we  commit  ourselves  to  ensuring  that  as  the  program  evolves,  it  continues  to  serve 
 the  needs  of  students  and  patrons  of  our  schools  and  libraries—  the  real  beneficiaries  of  support. 
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