Release No. 0449.99
Media Contact: Susan McAvoy (202) 720-4623
susan.mcavoy@usda.gov
Public Contact: Claiborne Crain (202) 720-1255
claiborne.crain@usda.gov
USDA ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR $220 MILLION IN DISTANCE LEARNING, TELEMEDICINE PROJECTS
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12, 1999 -- Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman today announced that USDA is accepting applications for distance learning and telemedicine projects through its Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) Loan and Grant program. USDA has $20 million in grants and $200 million in loans available for innovative uses of new telecommunications technologies to provide improved educational and health care opportunities to rural citizens.
"There are tremendous opportunities for improved educational and health care services in rural America thanks to innovations in telecommunications technology," Glickman said. "With distance learning, students in isolated rural schools can participate in virtual field trips or take college preparatory and foreign language classes that would not otherwise be available to them. Telemedicine projects are bringing better health care service to remote communities and saving time, money and even lives."
The DLT program for fiscal year 2000 gives educational organizations and rural health care providers three different funding routes: for loans; for loan/grant combinations; and for grants only.
USDA will accept loan and combination loan and grant applications until Sept. 30, 2000, and process them on a first-come, first-serve basis. Applications for grants must be postmarked by no later than March 17, 2000.
"As a part of the technological innovation legacy of this administration, the DLT program is giving us a clear view to a better future for rural education and health care service," said Jill Long Thompson, USDA under secretary for rural development. "With $81 million invested in more than 304 projects since 1993, this program has improved the educational opportunities for thousands of students and provided better quality health care to rural citizens served by more than 800 hospitals and rural health care clinics."
Additional details, along with regulations and application guide are available on the Internet at the following address: http://www.usda.gov/rus/dlt/dlml.htm . The telephone contact is (202) 690-4493 and the facsimile number is (202)720-1051. Applications are to be submitted to the Rural Utilities Service, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Mail Stop 1550, Washington, D.C. 20250-1550. Indicate that they are to the attention of the Director, Advanced Services Division, Telecommunications Program.
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