In the first legislative step toward paving the way for easier passage of President Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief plan, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., introduced the text of a joint 2021 budget resolution on Feb. 1.
Virginia will award over $26.9 million in grants to increase broadband access in the state through the Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VATI), Gov. Ralph Northam announced Jan. 26. The grants will support five projects in 11 different localities.
President Biden has designated Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel as Acting Chairwoman of the FCC.
Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson released the Arkansas State Broadband Map, an interactive tool that allows Arkansans to find broadband providers in their neighborhood and assists state agencies in developing broadband policy.
Reps. Frank Lucas, R-Okla., and Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, released a new bill that aims to improve science, technology, engineering, math, and computer science (STEM) education in rural communities.
The Federal Communications Commission is seeking public comment on how to best distribute $3.2 billion of funding approved by Congress late last month as part of combined FY 2021 government funding and COVID-19 relief legislation to help low-income Americans access internet services.
After months with no movement and a weekend full of deal-making, Congress is expected to pass a $900 billion COVID-19 relief package as part of a broader Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) omnibus spending bill. The relief includes a new round of Payment Protection Program (PPP) funding, money for broadband deployment and emergency use, and money to remove banned Huawei and ZTE equipment.
Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., along with 16 House colleagues in a Dec. 7 letter, called on Senate and House appropriators to prioritize funding for broadband infrastructure projects and reject proposed cuts included in the Senate version of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 funding bill.
The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly forced state and local governments to modernize at lightning speed to not only provide government services online, but help residents access the technology they need to socially distance themselves properly.
The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation signed off on three broadband bills during a Nov. 18 business meeting.
