US Senate

Sen Durbin, Maloney Introduce Bicameral Bill To Increase Access To Broadband Service For Low-Income Americans

Sen Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Rep Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY-18) introduced a bicameral bill that would increase access to broadband service for low-income urban and rural Americans.  The Promoting Access to Broadband Act would help states increase awareness of, and enrollment in, the Federal Communications Commission’s Lifeline program, which aims to help low-income households pay for their telephone and broadband service charges by providing a monthly subsidy of $9.25.  Enrollment in the Lifeline program remains extremely low nationwide. The Promoting Access to Broadband Act wo

Senator Markey Leads Colleagues in Urging FCC to Reject Plans that Imperil the Universal Service Fund

Sen Ed Markey (D-MA) and 29 other senators wrote a letter to the Federal Communications Commission requesting that the agency discard any plans for setting an overall cap for the Universal Service Fund (USF) programs. "Such a proposal would harm broadband deployment, rural health care opportunities, classroom learning, and life-long learning through public libraries by forcing them to compete in order to receive necessary funds.

Sen Manchin Sends Chairman Pai Speed Tests Results From Across West Virginia

Sen Joe Manchin (D-WV) sent eight letters to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai with results from speed tests across West Virginia to highlight incorrect broadband coverage maps of WV and support the need for the formation of a public feedback system to better assess broadband coverage across rural states like WV. In the letters, Sen Manchin included the results of speed tests taken in Wheeling, Sandyville, Renick, Petersburg, Masontown, Great Cacapon, Charleston, and Bruceton Mills.