Federal File: House To Debate Plan for School Telecomm Access

Supporters of educational access to advanced information networks were hoping late last week to amend a telecommunications-reform measure pending in the House to insure reduced tolls for schools on the so-called information highway.

They hoped to persuade the House Rules Committee to allow floor consideration of a proposed amendment to HR 1555, the "communications act of 1995," that would guarantee schools "affordable" access to telecommunications. Schools now are charged costlier business rates.

The bill, as written, guarantees only that schools will have access to the networks and calls for a joint federal-state panel to help devise a...