press release

Rep Doris Matsui (D-CA), along with 22 members of the House Commerce Committee, sent a letter to Chairman Ajit Pai urging the Federal Communications Commission to reconsider proposed changes to the Lifeline program. “Now more than ever, the wake of this year’s natural disasters has shown the critical importance that a mobile connection – a literal lifeline – can play in getting Americans back on their feet. We are concerned that proposed changes to the Lifeline program could potentially strand millions of struggling families with no way to connect.

House Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai today urging the FCC to take immediate action to protect the High-Cost Fund against flagrant abuse of federal funds.

The Radio Television Digital News Association Voice of the First Amendment Task Force is expressing extreme concern about Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ refusal – again – to say his Department of Justice will not target journalists who protect the identities of their confidential sources.

A group of Democratic senators sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai raising concerns about a proposed rule that could harm rural consumers by undermining existing protections for landline service.The Accelerating Wireline Broadband Deployment by Removing Barriers to Infrastructure and Investment Report and Order lessens notifications to consumers about changes to their landline service (virtually eliminating advance notice of copper retirement to retail customers), eliminates rules put in place to protect consumers, and changes the definition of “service” to

The City of New York's Mayor’s Office of the Chief Technology Officer released a Request for Information (RFI) to gather input from industry experts to inform the City's implementation plan for universal broadband. Universal broadband refers to the City’s goal to connect every resident and business with affordable, reliable, high speed internet service by 2025, as stated in One New York: The Plan for a Strong and Just City.  The results of the RFI can be used to shape a more formal request for proposals or other measures to help the City achieve its goal.

The National Hispanic Media Coalition filed an Application for Review (AFR) to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC), Office of the General Counsel (OGC) seeking review of the letter dated September 14, 2017 stating that the FCC was producing its “final production of documents” in response to NHMC’s FOIA requests filed in early May 2017.

The Federal Communications Commission announced the appointment of Matthew Duchesne to serve as the chief of the FCC’s Office of Native Affairs and Policy (ONAP). Duchesne is joining the FCC from the US Bureau of Reclamation where he served as program manager for Native American and International Affairs. While there, he led the agency’s work related to Tribal consultation and negotiation of settlements associated with Tribal water rights claims in the western United States.

The Federal Communications Commission appoints Commissioner Brendan Carr to serve on the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service and the Federal-State Joint Board on Jurisdictional Separations

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai wrapped up a two-day visit to Puerto Rico on Nov 6, where he met with government and industry officials to see and hear about the status of recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria. "I heard

Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett announced that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing more than $200 million in infrastructure projects to bring broadband to hundreds of unserved and underserved rural communities.  Hazlett discussed USDA’s work to expand broadband access in rural areas during a visit today to Upshur County (WV).