Funding
Senators Reintroduce Bridge Act With Hope of $40 Billion for Broadband
Three Senators have reintroduced the BRIDGE Act with a proposed $40 billion to expand broadband access across the nation.
Digital Inclusion
Senators Reintroduce Bipartisan Digital Equity Act
Sen. Murray re-introduces bi-partisan that would provide grants to states pushing for digital equity.
Infrastructure
Senate Committee Hears High Symmetrical Internet Speeds, Up-To-Date Technologies For Future Of Rural America
NTCA’s Shirley Bloomfield on driving improvements for rural broadband.
Digital Inclusion
Big Bucks for Broadband in the Balance: Explaining the Affordable, Accessible Internet for All Act
If you have been following our series on the Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act, you already know the proposed legislation calls for a $100 billion investment in expanding broadband access and affordability in unserved and underserved parts of the country. In this fourth installment of the
Broadband Mapping & Data
You Can’t Use an Old Map To Explore a New World: Explaining the Affordable, Accessible Internet for All Act
Without good information from Internet Service Providers (ISPs), the federal government is essentially shooting in the dark when it comes to determining how to best target the allocation of resources for underserved and unserved communities. Even private sector investments are less efficient because
Section 230
President Trump’s FCC Nominee Grilled on Section 230 During Senate Confirmation Hearing
November 10, 2020 — Members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation grilled President Donald Trump’s proposed nominee to the Federal Communications Commission, Nathan Simington, on his stance on the FCC’s jurisdiction to interpret Section 230, during a nominations hearing on
Senate
Senate Judiciary Committee Subpoenas Tech Giants on Controversial Content, Also Advances Supreme Court Nominee
October 23, 2020 — Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee boycotted Thursday’s executive meeting, during which the committee, led by a Republican majority, advanced Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to be a justice on the Supreme Court. Additionally, the committee voted to authorize subpo
Cybersecurity
Senate Committee Moves to Ban Government Employees from Using TikTok
July 24, 2020 — The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs voted to bar federal employees from downloading Chinese social media app TikTok on government-issued devices, Reuters reported. The “No TikTok on Government Devices Act,” introduced by Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., passed
FCC
Federal Communications Commissioner Michael O’Rielly’s Nomination Advanced by Senate Committee
July 22, 2020 — In an executive session held Wednesday, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation voted to nominate Federal Communications Commissioner Michael O’Rielly for another term at the agency. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said he looked forward to advancing O’Rielly’s
Congress
House Republicans Say New Infrastructure Bill Will Be ‘Dead on Arrival’ In the Senate
June 29, 2020 — In a meeting of the House Rules Committee, Republicans said that even if the INVEST in America Act passed in the House, it would be dead on arrival in the Senate. The bill provides nearly $500 billion in funding for transportation infrastructure and broadband construction. Calling it
FCC
Rural Digital Opportunity Funds Should be Decreased Until FCC Gets Mapping Right, Says Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel
June 24, 2020 — The Federal Communications Commission should decrease the amount of money distributed through the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, said Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel in a Senate hearing on Wednesday. The sometimes-confrontational meeting saw members of the Committee on Commerce, Sc
Expert Opinion
Debra Berlyn: Pandemic Reveals Need for Congress to Act on Closing Digital Divide
COVID-19 has highlighted the need for broadband services for consumers across the expanse of our country. The crisis has dictated a protracted stay at home period for most of the country that has required our work, school, and entertainment to move from the outside, to the confines of our homes, rel
FCC
Commissioner O’Rielly Says He Would Shorten Rural Broadband Build Out Period and Collect Accurate Broadband Maps
June 17, 2020 — Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., used a nominations hearing on Tuesday to grill Federal Communications Commissioner Michael O’Rielly on issues ranging from the Ligado decision to poor broadband mapping data. The Trump administration has submitted O’Rielly’s n
Net Neutrality
Senators Criticize AT&T for Apparently Favoring HBO Max by Not Counting Streaming Against Data Caps
June 4, 2020 — Sens. Ed Markey, D-Mass., Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., penned a letter to AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson, rebuking him for not counting HBO Max usage against users’ monthly data caps. AT&T owns HBO, a relationship the senators claimed violates the company’s stated
Copyright
Digital Millennium Copyright Act Insufficient, Artists Testify in Senate Intellectual Property Subcommittee Hearing
June 3, 2020 — The protections against redistribution of copyrighted content as enumerated in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act are insufficient, said participants in a Senate Intellectual Property Subcommittee hearing on Tuesday. The Subcommittee hosted several artists of various trades to testi
FCC
Military Witnesses Bash FCC’s Approval of Ligado at Live Senate Committee Hearing
May 6, 2020 – Military officials and legislators urged the Federal Communications Commission to reverse their approval of increased satellite broadband infrastructure development in a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing that took place in person on Wednesday. In April, the FCC authorized the imp
