Press Release

The Federal Communications Commission adopted a Third Report and Order furthering its efforts to enable individuals with disabilities to access video programming through closed captioning. The Order adopts a “readily accessible” requirement for closed captioning display settings. The Commission previously adopted requirements that users must be able to customize caption displays by changing the font, size, color, and other caption features, but many consumers have had difficulty accessing these caption display settings.

I want to extend my deep thanks and appreciation to Lauren Garry for serving as a Legal Advisor in my office. I am grateful that she agreed to work for me for a year, and I am very pleased that the FCC and the public will continue to benefit from her service at the agency. Over the course of her detail, Lauren has been a tremendous asset to me and my office, and she has tackled some of the agency’s most challenging matters. I will miss having her wise counsel on so many issues that are meaningful to the American public.

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) awarded more than $20.5 million to Michigan to implement their Digital Equity Plan.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announces 97 communities that have been selected to participate in the ConnectHomeUSA (CHUSA) initiative, bringing training and technical assistance to help communities access affordable internet access, affordable devices, and digital skills training.

On July 18, the Federal Communications Commission will vote on new rules to make the offpremises use of Wi-Fi hotspots and mobile wireless internet services eligible for E-Rate funding. The new rules would take the next step towards modernizing the program to ensure students and library patrons have access to the connectivity needed for a 21st century quality education.

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced that the items below are tentatively on the agenda for the August Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Wednesday, August 7, 2024: 

Meta and the Center for Open Science (COS) opened a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a new pilot program, designed to support the study of topics related to social media use and well-being.

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved Rhode Island’s Initial Proposals for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, a cornerstone of the Biden-Harris Administration’s “Internet for All” initiative. This approval enables Rhode Island to request access to funding and begin implementation of the BEAD program. Rhode Island was allocated over $108 million to deploy or upgrade high-speed Internet networks to ensure that everyone has access to reliable, affordable, high-speed Internet service.  

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved Hawaii’s Initial Proposals for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, a cornerstone of the Biden-Harris Administration’s “Internet for All” initiative. This approval enables Hawaii to request access to funding and begin implementation of the BEAD program. Hawaii was allocated over $149 million to deploy or upgrade high-speed Internet networks to ensure that everyone has access to reliable, affordable, high-speed Internet service.  

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced that the Commission will vote on final rules that will improve transportation safety and mobility by integrating advanced communications technologies into vehicles and infrastructure.