Commissioner Rosenworcel Remarks at US Conference of Mayors

I want to harness your energies this morning to talk about three things we can work on together. First, broadband deployment and the infrastructure challenge it presents for cities. Second, broadband adoption and the challenge it presents for students stuck in what I call the Homework Gap. And third and finally, an update on net neutrality.

The fastest and most resilient way to broadband deployment is with a community on board. [The Federal Communications Commission] can begin by developing model codes for small cell and 5G deployment—but we need to make sure they are supported by a wide range of industry and state and local officials. Then we need to review every infrastructure grant program at the Department of Commerce, Department of Agriculture, and Department of Transportation and build in incentives to use this model. In the process, we can build a more common set of practices nationwide.

By taking net neutrality off the books, the FCC gave the legal green light for broadband providers to block websites, throttle services, and censor online content. This misguided decision awoke a sleeping giant, because the American public is demanding action. As a result, we are seeing states, cities, and towns with new laws, initiatives and executive orders trying to make right what the FCC got wrong. We are seeing litigation. We are seeing legislation. There are efforts everywhere to overturn the mess the agency made. This one’s not over. So I’m not giving up—and neither should you.