Amidst School Closures, Klobuchar, Peters, Tester Urge FCC to Ensure Students Have Internet Access

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 the FCC provides additional resources, we ask the FCC to create a consumer-friendly web portal, searchable by region, with the latest information about how consumers can get and stay connected, including contacts for telecommunications providers, links to maps of publicly available WiFi hotspots, and information about federal and corporate assistance to those without broadband internet, and to work with media outlets to distribute this information to those who are not already online. Without swift action from the FCC, students from households without access to high-speed internet face challenges in learning from home while their schools are closed. It is for these reasons that we urge the FCC to use its existing authority and resources to ensure that all students can access online instruction at home to continue learning and keep Americans informed during this public health crisis. We respectfully request that you provide us with information on the steps that the FCC is taking to address this critical issue.