Technology & The Digital Divide

The "digital divide" is a term used to describe a widening disparity between certain groups with regards to technology access. It could be defining social and economic issue of the next generation. Minorities, poorer people and people in rural areas have significant difficulty gaining access to technology. In fact, the digital gap is increasing in many areas. A 1999 Commerce Department study, "Falling Through the Net: Defining the Digital Divide," found that the divide is racial, economic, and geographic. African-Americans and Hispanic households are only two-fifths as likely to have home Internet access as white households, a gap that has increased by six percentage points over the last year. Households in rural areas are up to fifty percent less likely to have Internet access than households in urban areas. While 74% of wealthy schools are connected to the Internet, just 39% of less affluent schools are connected. Households in the highest income levels are more than twenty times as likely to have a computer at home than those at the lowest levels.

In addition to many meetings with President Clinton and Congressional leaders on the issue, Congresswoman Johnson, wrote language which became a major part of the National Science Education Act. Much of the bill, House Resolution H.R. 4271, includes that language, which provides funding for greater teacher technology training and an increased number of scholarships and fellowships. The legislation also provides mechanisms for the coordination of public-private partnerships so that corporations can help train both students and teachers for the digital age. The bill is designed to increase a teacher's ability to integrate technology into every aspect of learning, from the very beginning of a child's education.

H.R. 4271 is just one example of Congresswoman Johnson's efforts to close the digital divide. She stronlgy supports the Digital Empowerment Act, S.2229. This legislation, co-sponsored with Maryland Senator Barbara Mikulski, takes steps to ensure that every child in America has access to a computer and technology education. Among other things, the bill provides $1.25 billion for technology education and $100 million for computer technology centers.

Congresswoman Johnson is Vice-Chairperson of the Congressional Black Caucus and serves on the Board of Directors of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. She also chairs the Congressional Black Caucus Science and Technology Braintrust, spearheading the actions of the Caucus regarding technology issues and hosting periodic discussions and seminars with the nation's preeminent leaders in the technology field.