Letter

In order to provide further support to healthcare providers, the Federal Communications Commission should, in addition to adopting final rules for the proposed Connected Care Pilot Program, consider the following actions during the emergency:

On March 5 and 6, Sen Maria Cantwell (D-WA) wrote to the Federal Communications Commission to urge it to consider how the FCC's existing authority and programs, as well as temporary policies or rule waivers, may be used to secure the nation's safety and continued well-being. On March 20, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai responded by listing the steps the FCC has taken to protect its employees, monitor communications networks, and provide support to keep Americans connected. 

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, doctors around the country are turning to telemedicine as a safety precaution to contain the spread of the virus. Virtual visits also enable healthcare facilities to more efficiently handle issues not related to the virus. The Federal Communications Commission's Rural Health Care Program (RHCP) is critical for enabling internet connectivity for rural healthcare facilities that may otherwise not be able to afford it by subsidizing a discount for broadband services.

On Feb 23, 2020, Sen Joe Manchin (D-WV) wrote to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai to urge him to "revise the aggressive timeline outline for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) and postpone the initial auction until after the eligibility maps can be challenged and verified." Sen Manchin also wrote Chairman Pai on Dec 3, 2019 to describe specific examples in West Virginia of unreliable broadband service.

Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Edward Markey (D-MA) led a letter with 10 of their colleagues in urging leadership to address the digital divide and the homework gap within the phase three coronavirus funding package. As more and more schools transition to online learning due to the impact of the coronavirus, students without access to internet risk falling significantly behind their classmates.

Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) along with Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Richard Blumental (D-CT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA),  Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) wrote a letter urging the Administration to waive phone charges for incarcerated people to help families and loved ones remain in contact during the pandemic.

Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Edward Markey (D-MA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Brian Schatz (D-HI) called on the Federal Communications Commission to ensure that no eligible American is disconnected from the Lifeline assistance program during the coronavirus pandemic. Since 1985, the FCC’s Lifeline program has made basic internet and telephone service more affordable for low-income Americans.

Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Gary Peters (D-MI), and Jon Tester (D-MT) urged Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai to take action to ensure that students have access to internet so that they can continue learning while schools are closed and to create a consumer-friendly web portal with additional school resources in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. 

As you are aware, I have been closely following all federal broadband funding programs, including the ReConnect Program’s grant and loan disbursements, to ensure that funds are distributed as efficiently as possible and directed foremost to those communities lacking any broadband service, rather than those areas already served by an existing provider. To that end, I have voiced concerns to the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) over the use of scarce ReConnect Program funding to overbuild existing networks, whether built through private investment or via government subsidies.

On Dec 20, 2019, Sens John Thune (R-SD), Deb Fischer (R-NE), and Jerry Moran (R-KS) sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai urging the FCC to take action regarding unlicensed use of the 6 GHz band while protecting existing users of the band.