February 27, 2007
The Honorable John D. Rockefeller IV
United States Senate
SH-531
Washington, DC  20510-4802
Dear Senator Rockefeller:
On this 10th Anniversary of the E-Rate program, I wanted to write you as one 
mother and on behalf of millions of parents and students who may not even know why or 
how the E-Rate program was created but have benefited from your visionary leadership 
and commitment to providing equal opportunities for all of America’s children.  
Thank you on behalf of the kindergarten class of five year olds that is already able 
to email with pen pals all around the world.  Maybe this will lead to peace in their 
lifetime.  
Thank you on behalf of two immigrant third grade boys who can already produce 
power points with multi streaming audio and video.  Through these children, you are 
helping them integrate their parents into America and to teach them English.
Thank you on behalf of the students who not only read books or see photos about 
the space program but can actually interact with the astronauts as the shuttle goes 
overhead.  You are helping them reach for the stars.  
Thank you on behalf of the fourth grade math teacher who is mentored by a ninth 
grade math teacher and a college professor so that she can better prepare her students for 
careers in math and science.  You are helping to produce the much-needed American 
engineers of tomorrow.  
Thank you for opening the world and universe to my children and to countless 
other children who could never have had these opportunities and to truly insure that, at 
least regarding access to the internet, there is no digital divide among our children—no 
matter where they live or what their economic condition.
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Thank you on behalf of America’s 10 years of students whose lives have been 
forever changed because of your leadership and courage.  And, on behalf of the 
generations to come, thank you.
Sincerely,
Deborah Taylor Tate