Rep Angie Craig (D-MN)

We write in support of your ongoing focus on internet affordability as you work to administer the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program enacted in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.  For years, Democrats and Republicans expressed concern over the digital divide, and the $42 billion investment in the BEAD Program gives us a real opportunity to finally bridge this divide and connect every American to high-speed, reliable, and affordable internet.

As members of the New Democrat Coalition, we write to advocate for the inclusion of $6 billion in additional funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) in any government funding package, to reflect the President’s Fiscal Year 2024 emergency supplemental funding request. The ACP provides critical financial assistance to help American households afford broadband internet services. Access to high-speed and affordable broadband is vital to participating in our 21st-century economy.

On March 28, lawmakers from both the House of Representatives and US Senate reintroduced bipartian legislation to expand broadband access to rural communities. The Reforming Broadband Connectivity Act would strengthen funding mechanisms for the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Universal Service Fund (USF), which promotes universal access to broadband and other telecommunications services. Currently, the USF is primarily funded through landline fees, disproportionately impacting seniors, who are more likely to use landlines than other Americans.

Reps. Antonio Delgado (NY-19), Cheri Bustos (IL-17), Angie Craig (MN-02), and Abigail Spanberger (VA-07) reintroduced the Rebuild Rural America Act in the House. This legislation would deliver federal resources directly to rural communities as they respond to, and recover from, the economic crisis caused by COVID-19. 

Rep Angie Craig (D-MN) introduced legislation to provide consumers with transparent information on broadband services available in the marketplace. The Broadband Consumer Transparency Act of 2021 would require sellers of broadband services to display information in a uniform and clear manner at the point of sale to allow consumers to easily compare plans and to understand what they are purchasing. Roughly 7 in 10 U.S.

Rep Angie Craig (D-MN), a member of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, introduced a bill to ensure that investments made by the federal government to expand broadband access are informed by data collection and analysis as required by federal law.