Bipartisan lawmakers push for narrowing the 'homework gap'

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are calling for steps to narrow the so-called homework gap as schools incorporate more technology into their classrooms. Ranking member of the House Communications and Technology Subcommittee Bob Latta (R-OH) said that while larger cities often have high quality broadband access, many smaller communities do not, and there is strong bipartisan support of promoting digital equity. Chairman of the Senate Communications, Media and Broadband Subcommittee Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) stated that the pandemic only made the homework gap worse, and that the internet has solidified itself as a necessity in the US education system regardless of whether classes are in person or online. Federal Communications Commissioner Geoffrey Starks said that families should not have to choose between internet connection and other essential utilities.