As a result of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted an Order on May 8, 1997, creating the E-rate program to ensure that schools and libraries have affordable access to advanced telecommunications services. Under the program, discounts ranging from 20% to 90% on Telecommunications Services, Internet Access, and Internal Connections are provided to eligible schools and libraries, subject to a $2.25 billion annual cap.