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.
Senator Markey Calls for Answers about Amazon Camera Doorbell Company’s Partnerships with Police Departments (US Senate)
Submitted by Robbie McBeath on Thu, 09/05/2019 - 16:32CASES Act signed into law, giving constituents option to electronically authorize congressional offices to engage fed agencies (US Senate)
Submitted by Robbie McBeath on Fri, 08/23/2019 - 15:37Senators Markey, Blumenthal Query National Highway Traffic Safety Administration About Cyber Risks of Internet-Connected Cars (US Senate)
Submitted by Robbie McBeath on Thu, 08/22/2019 - 18:53
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.
Sen Hawley: Facebook should conduct an actual audit by giving a trusted third party access to its algorithm (US Senate)
Submitted by Robbie McBeath on Tue, 08/20/2019 - 14:36Sen Klobuchar, Colleagues Urge FCC to Seek Additional Public Input on T-Mobile/Sprint Merger
Senate Antitrust Subcommittee Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and seven other Democratic Sens called on the Federal Communications Commission to issue a public notice and seek public comment on the proposed merger between T-Mobile and Sprint in light of the Proposed Final Judgment and a Stipulation and Order (Consent Decree) recently filed by the Department of Justice. “We remain concerned about the lack of transparency in the FCC’s merger review process and the lack of certainty on whether this merger will protect competition and consumers," the Senators wrote.