US Senate

Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), James Lankford (R-OK), Jon Tester (D-MT), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and John Kennedy (R-LA) sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai urging the FCC to focus their efforts on providing reliable broadband to rural communities before expanding 5G coverage, as indicated by the announcement of the FCC’s 5G Fund.

Sen Ron Wyden (D-OR) and five other lawmakers pressed the Federal Communications Commission to do more to protect consumers from scammers who hijack phone numbers to hack bank accounts and other personal information. Sens Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Ed Markey (D-MA) and Reps Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), and Ted Lieu (D-CA) joined Sen Wyden to urge FCC Chairman Ajit Pai to use the agency’s authority over wireless carriers to protect consumers against these so-called SIM swap scams. 

Sens Ed Markey (D-MA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) took to the floor of the Senate to demand an immediate vote on the Save the Internet Act, legislation that reverses the repeal by President Donald Trump’s Federal Communications Commission of critical network neutrality protections. The Save the Internet Act enshrines the three legacy net neutrality principles – no blocking, no throttling and no paid prioritization – and empowers the FCC to prohibit unjust, unreasonable and discriminatory practices.

Sens Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and John Thune (R-SD), and 46 of their colleagues urged the Federal Communications Commission to promote the deployment of sustainable broadband networks as the FCC considers adopting new rules in the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) proceeding. The RDOF will award high-cost Universal Service Fund (USF) support to deploy broadband service in rural areas.