Letter

Senators Urge NTIA to Prioritize Funding for Broadband Projects in Unserved Areas

In a letter to National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Assistant Secretary Alan Davidson, Sen Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Sen Steve Daines (R-MT) and several other senators urged the agency to prioritize funding for broadband projects in unserved rural areas. "NTIA has an opportunity to make substantial impact on connecting rural America. However, doing so will require that your agency outline rules that specifically prohibit overbuilding and that set clear criteria to ensure projects targeted at unserved areas are actually prioritized," said the February 4 letter.

House lawmakers urge President Biden to bolster the NTIA and nominate a Chief Technolgoy Officer

Rep Doris Matsui (D-CA), along with seven colleagues, sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to support the development and execution of the Biden Administration’s spectrum policy by bolstering the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and quickly nominating a Chief Technology Officer (CTO). “To ensure agencies have the requisite resources to fulfill their mandates and to maintain US leadership in next-generation communications networks, it is imperative that the Federal government have a unified approach to spectrum policy,” said the letter.

OTI Supports Accurate, Accessible Outreach Materials for Affordable Connectivity Program

New America's Open Technology Institute (OTI) wrote and submitted a letter—alongside Asian Americans Advancing Justice, the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, MediaJustice, and Public Knowledge—requesting the Federal Communications Commission commit resources and energy to ensure communities beyond English speakers are made aware of the opportunity provided by the Affordable Connectivity Program.

Fight for the Future Urges Democratic Leadership to Remove Sen Cantwell as Chair of Commerce Committee

"Democratic leadership repeatedly said that if Democrats took control of the Senate they would move quickly to get the Federal Communications Commission back to work protecting the public," said Fight for the Future Evan Greer in a letter to Sen Chuck Schumer (D-NY)."But Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), in her role as chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, has been actively and egregiously preventing Democrats from making good on those promises.

NDIA Requests FCC Update and Release of Broadband Adoption Data

To ensure Congress's largest-ever broadband and digital equity investments are here to stay, we must have robust and accurate broadband adoption data. Unfortunately, such broadband adoption data is not currently publicly available. While the Federal Communications Commission's maps were updated in 2021 with 2020 data, the broadband adoption data was not released. The importance of having robust, accurate, and timely data can not be overstated.

FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel Responds to Members of Congress Regarding Broadband Funding

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel sent letters to Reps Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), James Comer (R-KY) and Kay Granger (R-TX) on January 14, 2022, responding to their letter that asked for information on FCC efforts to coordinate with other agencies on broadband funding. Rosenworcel said the FCC collaborated with various federal and state agencies on the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, COVID-19 Telehealth Program and Emergency Connectivity Fund.

FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel Responds to Lawmakers' Concerns Over Fraud in the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel responded to Sens Roger Wicker (R-MS) and John Thune (R-SD) and Reps Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Robert Latta (R-OH) on January 7, 2022, regarding their letter about the FCC’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) report on fraudulent enrollments by providers in the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program.

Lawmakers Call For Extension Of Pandemic Telehealth Expansion

Sens Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) led a bipartisan and bicameral group of 45 lawmakers in calling for the extension of expanded coverage of telehealth services to be included in must-pass legislation in February 2022. Provisions from the Schatz-authored CONNECT for Health Act were included in previous COVID-19 relief legislation to allow Medicare beneficiaries in all areas of the country, and in their homes, to utilize telehealth services and to expand the types of health care providers eligible to provide telehealth.

Telecommunications Industry Coalition Urges Biden Administration to Waive "Buy American" Requirements

A coalition of telecommunications industry lobbyists wants the Biden administration to waive “Buy American” requirements in the recent bipartisan infrastructure law for certain information and communications technologies. The new campaign, led by the Telecommunications Industry Association, argues that the available choices for US-made telecomunications equipment are insufficient to meet the law’s goal of building new, affordable broadband networks in underserved or hard-to-reach regions.

Republican Senators Raise Concerns Over New Treasury Broadband Rule

In a letter to Department of Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, 11 Republican senators raised concerns regarding the recently-announced final rule for broadband infrastructure funding through the Coronavirus State and Local Recovery Funds. We are profoundly disappointed that Treasury’s final rule lacks the proper guidance and constraints needed to ensure that federal funds are used efficiently and for their intended purpose.