Source: Federal Communications Commission 

For Immediate Release

 

Chairwoman Rosenworcel Announces Cross-Agency Task Force to Prevent Digital Discrimination 

FCC Announces Leadership Team to Oversee Agency Wide Effort to Address Digital Discrimination

WASHINGTON, February 8, 2022—Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel today announced the formation of a cross-agency task force that will focus on creating rules and policies to combat digital discrimination and to promote equal access to broadband across the country, regardless of zip code, income level, ethnicity, race, religion, or national origin. D’wana Terry, Special Advisor to the Chairwoman and Acting Director of the Office of Workplace Diversity, will lead this agency wide effort in collaboration with Sanford Williams, Special Advisor to the Chairwoman and Deputy Managing Director in the Office of the Managing Director and Alejandro Roark, Chief of the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, with additional support from other Commission bureaus and offices.

“This work will touch almost every part of the agency and it’s why I’ve asked D’wana Terry to lead this effort from my office. D’wana has held senior leadership positions within teams that will be critical to this effort including the Wireline Competition Bureau, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, and the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau. With support from Sanford Williams and Alejandro Roark, as well as the support of every Bureau and Office at the agency, I have every confidence that D’wana and her team will ensure that we properly take on what Congress has asked of us,” said Chairwoman Rosenworcel. “Addressing digital discrimination and redlining is a critical piece to living up to our standard of equal access to the infrastructure needed for 21st century success—no matter who you are or where you live. Your zip code should not determine access to broadband—which this pandemic has proven is a must have, just like electricity or water.”

Per the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the FCC is tasked with several directives to combat digital discrimination and redlining. Specifically, the Commission must adopt final rules to facilitate equal access to broadband service that prevents digital discrimination and promotes equal access to robust broadband internet access service by prohibiting deployment discrimination based on the income, racial or ethnic composition, and other agency determined relevant factors of a community. Additionally, the cross-agency Task Force to Prevent Digital Discrimination will oversee the development of model policies and best practices states and local governments can adopt that ensure ISPs do not engage in digital discrimination. Lastly, the FCC will revise its public complaint process to seek feedback more prominently from consumers who may be facing digital discrimination in their communities. In accordance with the law, these collective initiatives must be completed by November 2023.

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FCC Commits Nearly $126 Million in Emergency Connectivity Fund Support to Connect Students, Schools and Libraries to Internet Service

Program to Date Has Committed Over $4.5 Billion Supporting More than 12 Million Students and 875 Libraries Helping to Close Homework Gap

WASHINGTON, February 8, 2022—The Federal Communications Commission today announced that it is committing $125,962,023.72 in its ninth wave of Emergency Connectivity Fund program support.  This round of funding will support over 270,000 students and provide funding for 340 schools, 20 libraries and 6 consortia, which are approved to receive over 330,000 connected devices and over 39,000 broadband connections.  Since its June 2021 launch, the program has committed over $4.5 billion supporting all 50 states, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the District of Columbia.

“Today’s announcement will bring more connectivity to students and libraries in our communities, helping to close the Homework Gap and support library patrons who lack internet access,” said Chairwoman Rosenworcel.  “The Emergency Connectivity Fund is making billions of dollars in investments in our schools and libraries to support success in the digital age, no matter who you are, or where you live.”

The funding can be used to support off-campus learning, such as nightly homework, to ensure students across the country have the necessary support to keep up with their education.  Total commitments to date are supporting over 10,800 schools, 875 libraries, and 125 consortia for nearly 9.9 million connected devices and over 4.9 million broadband connections.  Today’s announcement includes nearly $27 million in commitments from Window 1 applications and over $99 million in commitments from Window 2 applications.

More details about which schools and libraries have received funding commitments can be found at https://www.fcc.gov/emergency-connectivity-fund.

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