The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“TECHIES DAY” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Commerce was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E2036 on Oct. 6, 1999.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TECHIES DAY
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HON. JOHN B. LARSON
of connecticut
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, October 5, 1999
Mr. LARSON. Mr. Speaker, as Congress continues to debate next year's budget, America continues to face two mounting problems: a growing information technology worker shortage, and a persisting ``digital divide'' between the information rich and the information poor.
Reports estimate that there are approximately 350,000 unfilled technology jobs available in America, a shortage that threatens the future growth of the sector that is responsible for driving America's unprecedented economic success. Clearly, the demand for highly-skilled information technology workers vastly outweighs the supply.
Further confirmation of this problem came in the Department of Commerce's July report entitled, ``Falling Through the Net,'' which highlighted a persisting ``digital divide'' characterized by a disparity of race, gender, wealth, and geography.
It is, thus, with the intention of focusing public attention on these two problems, that I lend my support today to the first national
``Techies Day'' being held today. Its goal is to reverse these trends by inspiring more of America's youth to enter science and technology fields.
To mark this day, the Association for Competitive Technology, an alliance of Information Technology businesses, will bring technology professionals to the Kids Computer Workshop in Washington, D.C., an after-school technology program that works with underserved kids in the District. By showing youth that technology careers are within their reach, these ``techies'' will bridge the gap for kids who find themselves on the wrong side of the ``digital divide'' and begin to reduce America's information technology workforce deficit.
Mr. Speaker, if the private sector is recognizing its role in bridging the gap between the information ``haves'' and the ``have-
nots,'' I believe Congress should recognize its role too. It is my hope that through efforts such as Techies Day, Congress will realize that it can, and should, make a difference.
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