Policymakers

After Louisiana was the first state to have its Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) rural broadband funding released in late 2023, it was several months before any other states had their funding released. It looked like a sure bet that Louisiana would be the first to make BEAD awards—and, according to Louisiana Broadband Director Veneeth Iyengar, that’s still the case. Montana recently became the first state to begin accepting BEAD applications. Louisiana began accepting applications a few days later, on August 19.

When former President Barack Obama takes the stage at the Democratic National Convention, he’ll address a party that has done a major about-face on its relationship with technology since he left office. Hailed as the first “internet president” for his campaign’s embrace of then-nascent social media and blogs, Obama’s rise was inextricable from that of the digital landscape we now take for granted.

Montana’s broadband efforts took a leap forward when the state became first in the nation to open its Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program application portal. “We’ve been working behind the scenes to be ready,” said Misty Ann Giles, Director of the Department of Administration and Chief Operating Officer for the state of Montana. And Montana was ready.

The Democratic party’s presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris (D-CA), was never the border czar, despite her political opponents’ attempts to label her as such. If VP Harris has ever had a Biden administration czarship (although not with an official title) it was in artificial intelligence (AI). AI might lack the political resonance of the border today, but it is time we reconsider its significance to the average voter. When AI is recast as a sweeping change that could affect jobs, income equality, national security, and the rights of ordinary citizens, it is rather quickly tran

Vice President Kamala Harris (D-CA), the Democratic nominee for president, has chosen Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) as her running mate, elevating a former football coach whose rural roots, liberal policies, and buzzy takedowns of former President Donald Trump have recently put him on the map. Gov Walz emerged from a field of candidates who had better name recognition and more politically advantageous home states.

Public Knowledge is pleased to announce one addition and two changes to our staff. First, Public Knowledge welcomes Morgan Wilsmann, Policy Analyst, to the team. Ms. Wilsmann will focus her policy work on content moderation and platform regulation. Prior to joining Public Knowledge, Ms.

Hawaii’s broadband landscape has challenges like no other U.S. state. So how do you deliver broadband access to 100% of the residents and businesses in the most remote of the 50 states? “100% is hard to get to, but we’re going to make a really good try to get there,” said Garret Yoshimi, Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer of the University of Hawaii. Yoshimi is not Hawaii’s state broadband director.

The Federal Communications Commission announced the anticipated rechartering of the Consumer Advisory Committee and solicited nominations for membership. The FCC intends to recharter the CAC for a period of two (2) years following consultation with the Committee Management Secretariat, General Service Administration. It is anticipated that after this consultation, the renewed charter will become effective on or before October 13, 2024.

With a heavy heart, I share the news that Benton Institute for Broadband & Society Trustee Leonard Jay Schrager died on July 25, 2024. Leonard was instrumental in the founding of Benton in 1981 and served in many roles over our 43 years. Leonard stepped into the role of Chairman of the Benton Board of Directors directly after the passing of Charles Benton in 2015.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a reorganization that will streamline and bolster technology, cybersecurity, data, and artificial intelligence (AI) strategy and policy functions. This reorganization will clarify and consolidate these critical functions, as follows: