US Senate
Senate Confirms Fara Damelin to be Inspector General of the Federal Communications Commission (US Senate)
Submitted by benton on Fri, 03/08/2024 - 13:46Sen Wyden Reveals Phone Data Used to Target Abortion Misinformation at Visitors to Hundreds of Reproductive Health Clinics (US Senate)
Submitted by benton on Wed, 02/14/2024 - 06:29Reps Markey, Van Hollen, and Meng Lead Colleagues in Letter of Support for FCC E-Rate Rulemaking
Sens Edward Markey (D-MA) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Rep Grace Meng (D-NY), led 64 of their colleagues in a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel supporting the Commission’s proposal to expand the E-Rate program to allow schools and libraries to loan out Wi-Fi hotspots to students and educators.
Sen Schatz Leads Group Of Bipartisan Lawmakers Calling For Permanent Access To Telehealth For Medicare Beneficiaries (US Senate)
Submitted by zwalker@benton.org on Thu, 02/01/2024 - 17:15Video | US Senator Peter Welch Speaks on Floor About Importance of Passing ACP Extension Act as Program Runs Out of Funding (US Senate)
Submitted by benton on Thu, 01/25/2024 - 14:13Sens Bennet (D-CO), Graham (R-SC), Warren (D-MA), Welch (D-VT) Urge Leader Schumer to Establish New Agency to Regulate Digital Platforms
US Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Peter Welch (D-VT) wrote to US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to call for a new independent federal agency to establish oversight over large technology firms.
Sens Welch (D-VT), Vance (R-OH), Rosen (D-NV), Cramer (R-ND) and Reps Clarke (D-NY) and Fitzpatrick (R-PA) Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Extension of the Affordable Connectivity Program
U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-VT), JD Vance (R-OH), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and U.S. Representatives Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) led their colleagues in the bicameral, bipartisan introduction of the Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act. This legislation would provide $7 billion for the Affordable Connectivity Program, which provides affordable high-speed internet options to qualifying households across the U.S.
President Biden signs into law Sen Kennedy's (R-LA) bill to require FCC to expand 5G access to rural Americans by releasing previously auctioned spectrum
President Joe Biden signed Sen. John Kennedy’s (R-LA) 5G Spectrum Authority Licensing Enforcement (SALE) Act into law. The legislation will require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to release previously auctioned spectrum to expand 5G broadband access to rural communities. The US Senate passed Kennedy’s legislation in September 2023, and the House of Representatives passed Kennedy’s legislation in December.
Republicans Raise Serious Concerns About the FCC’s Management of the ACP
We write asking you to clarify your recent congressional testimony regarding the Federal Communications Commission’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). At a hearing before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on November 30, 2023, you asserted—without evidence and contrary to the FCC’s own data—that “25 million households” would be “unplug[ged]…from the internet” if Congress does not provide new funding for the ACP. This is not true.