Chairman Pai's Response to Senator Tester Regarding the E-Rate Program

On March 13, 2018, Sen Jon Tester (D-MT) and Gov Steve Bullock (D-MT) wrote to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai to express concerns with FCC regulations that are causing significant delays on certain school broadband projects in rural states. "It is unacceptable for bureaucratic red tape to stand in the way of high-speed internet being delivered to rural classrooms. As such, we urge you to take immediate corrective actions," they wrote. On May 10, Chairman Pai responded by writing, "[T]here have been serious flaws in the administration of the E-Rate program. That's why I have asked the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), which implements this program on the FCC's behalf, to improve administration of E-Rate so that schools and libraries in need do not get trapped by unnecessary technicalities."