Speech

Since day one as a Federal Communications Commissioner, I have been speaking up and speaking out to advance diversity in broadcast media. I am also focused more broadly on what we as public servants should be doing to achieve the mandate in the Communications Act of making communications available to all Americans. We must do better in fulfilling the FCC's obligation to promote ownership by women and people of color.

I want to propose that we use this opportunity to reaffirm what is fundamental: our commitment to a global and open internet for all. In the age of the always-on internet, the idea of suddenly flicking connectivity off like a switch sounds dystopian. But for so many people in so many places this is becoming a reality.  21 countries shut down the internet 122 times in 2019 alone. That means there were more internet shutdowns in 2019 than ever before. These shutdowns are not just the instruments of authoritarian regimes, they have been used by democracies trying to tackle problems, too.

In 2020 and beyond, my principal focus will be ensuring that our communications networks and technologies support security, privacy, and our democratic values. Internet inequality is a persistent problem that is only growing in urgency. Low-income people, people of color, and people in rural areas either aren’t getting online or are making great sacrifices to get connected. For example, according to a Pew Research study, only 45 percent of adults with incomes under $30,000 have broadband at home. Solving this problem is a moral imperative.

I want to first begin by saying congratulations to Reps Blunt Rochester (D-DE) and Bryan Steil (R-WI) for launching the Future of Work Caucus. At the Federal Communications Commission, my number one priority is to ensure that all Americans are connected to affordable and reliable broadband. And I have to tell you, folks, we're just not there yet when it comes to ensuring that everyone is connected to broadband in this country. I know I only have a few minutes to chat with you all today so let me just close by saying that an automation tsunami is coming.

My travels throughout Indian Country have shown me that bringing high-speed connectivity to rural Tribal lands can be a game-changer. Broadband enables teleworking, job searches, and even starting an online business. It allows patients to consult with specialists without having to drive hours to the nearest hospital. And it gives students the ability to take advanced math and science classes online, if they aren’t offered at the local school. That’s why I’m proud to have launched several Federal Communications Commission initiatives to expand broadband access on Tribal lands.

The Internet has become an indispensable platform for innovation, job creation, and free expression. It is critical to our quality of life and our global competitiveness. To take advantage of the major innovations that will be introduced in the coming years, Americans will need to be connected. And that, of course, only serves to underscore why the Federal Communications Commission’s top priority must be to expand the deployment of high-speed broadband networks to all American. I’m pleased to report that our strategy of encouraging investment and innovation is working.

In 2020 and beyond, my principal focus will be ensuring that our communications networks and technologies support security, privacy, and our democratic values. I am optimistic that technological developments, especially 5G standards, will support our efforts to improve network and data security.

The growing 5G revolution is a generational upgrade in communications that will fundamentally alter the way in which technology is integrated into our everyday lives. The march of technological improvement will continue to bring the citizens of the world closer together and grow our economies.

Commissioner Starks offered a four-point plan to make FCC support for expanding rural broadband more effective: 1) funding rural broadband with accurate and actionable maps and data; 2) advancing more affordable internet connections; 3) incentivizing futureproof connections; and 4) investing in responsible auction winners.

As communications networks have become more ubiquitous, and more deeply imbedded in every aspect of our society, old silos are breaking down. We can no longer think of our country’s economic success, our security, and our geo-political relations as distinct issues. The networks that intertwine people tie these issues together, and I’m encouraged that we’re increasingly thinking about them holistically. With that theme in mind, I want to highlight three areas where we’re still working to make our policies fit the 5G era: communications infrastructure, security, and democratic engagement.