US Senate

Representative Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07), Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Representative David Valadao (R-CA-22) introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to expand access to digital skills training for American job seekers. The Digital Skills for Today’s Workforce Act would amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to establish a new “Digital Skills at Work” grant program to expand digital skills training within postsecondary education, adult education, and workforce development systems.

Senate Commerce Committee Chairwoman Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and House Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris (R-WA) unveiled the American Privacy Rights Act. This comprehensive draft legislation sets clear, national data privacy rights and protections for Americans, eliminates the existing patchwork of state comprehensive data privacy laws and establishes robust enforcement mechanisms to hold violators accountable, including a private right of action for individuals. The American Privacy Rights Act: 

Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) led his colleagues in introducing the “Supporting National Security with Spectrum Act” to fully fund the “Rip and Replace” program to remove Chinese components from US wireless communications systems. Without full funding, wireless and broadband providers across the United States will be saddled with billions of dollars in costs that could result in service blackouts and companies closing down, including many in eastern Montana. The Rip and Replace program was created in 2020 to remove Chinese components from our wireless communications systems.

A group of 33 senators urged Senate leadership to include funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) as part of future must-pass legislation, including the next government funding package. We write to urge you to take immediate action to fund the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program. Both of these programs are vital for closing the digital divide, by making connectivity affordable to millions of working families and ensuring providers are able to continue serving rural communities.

Sens Edward Markey (D-MA) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Rep Grace Meng (D-NY), led 64 of their colleagues in a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel supporting the Commission’s proposal to expand the E-Rate program to allow schools and libraries to loan out Wi-Fi hotspots to students and educators.