Upcoming event

Let’s get more communities and families digitally connected. Come learn more about the Emergency Broadband Benefit program, a temporary federal program through the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) geared toward connecting more households to the internet at a time when we rely on digital connectivity more than ever before.

Witnesses

Joi Chaney
National Urban League

Matt Dunne
Center on Rural Innovation

Max Stier
Partnership for Public Service

Non-profit organizations, anchor institutions, and local and state governments will join forces on May 14th to build awareness about the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program. Our collective goal is to ensure that every household that is eligible for the program learns about the program and how to enroll. There are various ways for your community to promote the EBB, including becoming an FCC community partner.

After a year of work, school, political organizing, and socializing via remote video, the pandemic has made clear how essential connectivity is to American life. 

It’s also revealed deep inequalities in internet access: millions are unable to run multiple video calls at once, with many lacking in-home access entirely. Meanwhile, the future of net neutrality remains uncertain. With states like California enforcing their own open internet rules, the federal government may be forced to solve the issue once and for all.

The committee will consider a number of bills and nominations including:

• S.1260, Endless Frontier Act; Sponsors: Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Todd Young (R-IN)
• Nomination of Lina M. Khan, of New York, to be Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission (PN254)

The pandemic has laid bare what rural residents have known for a long time: Rural broadband in many places is lacking. However, help is on the way. Federal and state funding programs are providing much needed assistance for rural fiber builds, and there’s never been a better time for a rural fiber build than now. This webinar will discuss design and deployment for rural networks, reviewing strategies to take fiber to the farmhouse.

History and influences that have led our country to the rapid proliferation of a propagandist media that is threatening truth and fomenting extremism.

The presentations will be followed by audience questions and answers and information-sharing on what we can do about the state of the media to address the democracy crisis.

With featured speakers:

The Emergency Broadband Benefit Program will begin May 12. Providers participating in the EBB Program can begin enrolling eligible households into the program to receive EBB-supported service, and households will also be able to check their eligibility directly by using the National Lifeline Eligibility Verifier (National Verifier) consumer portal available at www.GetEmergencyBroadband.org.