Upcoming event

A discussion about the crucial role broadband champions play in addressing the connectivity needs in their communities.

Dr. Pierrette Renee Dagg, Director of Research at Merit Network and an inaugural Marjorie & Charles Benton Opportunity Fund Fellow, will present her research based on in-depth profiles of six Michigan communities that organized themselves to address their broadband needs.

Joanne Hovis will be providing an inside look at the $42B NTIA BEAD funding timelines for states and how these state programs are coming together.

Georgia's Digital Connectivity Plan, recently approved by the NTIA, anticipates over $22 million in funding to facilitate significant connectivity and digital skills enhancements. This webinar will clarify your role within this expanded framework and ensure you are fully prepared to engage with upcoming State Capacity Grant opportunities.

The hearing will focus on the importance of data security, and how to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and accessibility of consumer data and safeguard data against unauthorized access, including through data minimization and robust data security practices.

Witnesses

• James E. Lee, COO, Identity Theft Resource Center
• Sam Kaplan, Director and Senior Global Policy Counsel, Palo Alto Networks
• Prem Trivedi, Policy Director, New America’s Open Technology Institute

Witness list subject to change.

Witnesses will be announced and are by invitation only, and the hearing livestream will be available at http://energycommerce.house.gov.

If you have any questions concerning this hearing, please contact Noah Jackson at noah.jackson@mail.house.gov.   

Witness

The Honorable Jessica Rosenworcel
Chairwoman, Federal Communications Commission

Witness

The Honorable Gina M. Raimondo
Secretary, Department of Commerce

As Congress and the states attempt to address a long list of real or perceived online problems, lawmakers' proposals often encounter the same roadblock: The First Amendment. Whether attempting to regulate social media platforms' content moderation or increase children's online safety and privacy, the government cannot dictate individuals' speech or companies' editorial decisions.

Congress has established programs to increase broadband access through the Universal Service Fund, including the Lifeline and the High-Cost programs. More recently, Congress established the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program to further improve broadband access and affordability. The Affordable Connectivity Program, which currently helps more than 23 million households connect to affordable broadband, will expire in May without congressional action.