Chairman Pai's Response to Senators Regarding Helping Students Maintain Connectivity During the COVID-19 Pandemic

On March 16, 2020, 16 senators wrote to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai urging the FCC to use its emergency powers during the coronavirus pandemic to temporarily waive relevant E-rate program rules and allow its beneficiaries to utilize universal service funding to provide home wireless service to existing school devices and hotspots for students who lack internet access at home. 

On June 12, Chairman Pai responded by saying the law the FCC is duty-bound to administer poses a barrier: "the Communications Act expressly limits the FCC's use of E-Rate program funding to broadband and other 'services' to school 'classrooms' and libraries. That's why, since March, I have been working with Congress to appropriate dedicated funding for remote learning to give students across this country an opportunity to connect with their teachers and online educational resources from home." Chairman Pai described how the recently enacted CARES Act's Education Stabilization Fund provides one avenue for such funding. He also wrote, "Complementing this effort, we have also taken steps to help those schools that participate in the FCC's E-Rate program transition to online learning by waiving and extending several program rules and deadlines." He closed by noting how the FCC has been working with the private sector so that students are connected with broadband at home, and highlighted the Keep Americans Connected Pledge.