September 2026

The country that lays the foundation for the AI economy will define the next century

When the Wright brothers laid down 60 feet of wooden track in the North Carolina sand dunes and launched America into the age of flight, they could not have imagined the broader possibilities for human ingenuity and thriving that their innovation would unlock.

How Oklahoma is meeting digital needs with Community Access Portals

Oklahoma is now 95 percent of the way toward reaching statewide connectivity, with Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment builds still ahead. But deploying last-mile broadband networks is just one aspect of closing the digital divide.

Comparing Poverty Measures: Development of the Supplemental Poverty Measure and Differences with the Official Poverty Measure

There has been continued debate about the best way to measure poverty in the United States since the first official U.S. poverty statistics were published in the mid-1960s. The U.S. Census Bureau releases two poverty measures each September. The first, called the official poverty measure, is based on cash resources. The second, the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM), includes both cash and noncash benefits and subtracts necessary expenses (such as taxes and medical expenses). The official poverty measure has remained mostly unchanged since it was introduced in the mid-1960s.

Sponsor 

United Church of Christ Media Justice Ministry

Date 
Thu, 09/10/2026 - 11:30 to 13:30

A tradition that honors voices challenging power and shaping a more just media and communications landscape.

Dr. Ruha Benjamin will deliver a riveting lecture, and Richard Prince will receive the Parker Award.

 

See Unlearn, imagine, build anew: 44th Parker Lecture challenges tech’s dominant narrative



Sponsor 

Subcommittee on Health

House Commerce Committee

Date 
Tue, 09/15/2026 - 10:15

The hearing will focus on the following bills:

  • H.R. 9693, Patients First Act of 2026 (Reps. Joyce (PA) and Schrier)

  • H.R. 8163, Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026 (Reps. Murphy and Schneider)



The Consequences of Shutting Copper Networks

AT&T and Verizon (and now the newly purchased Frontier) have continued with their big push to shut down copper networks. There are good reasons to finally walk away from this obsolete technology. Copper networks are largely far past the end of economic life and are rotting on the poles. Vandalism is rampant since the price of copper is making it attractive for people to rip down copper for the resale value. A large majority of customers who have a good alternative have fled the copper networks, so there are fewer people each year on the remaining copper networks. 

NTIA Seeks Feedback on Internet Use Survey

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration seeks feedback under the Paperwork Reduction Act on a set of questions for the November 2027 edition of the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey. This collection of questions is known as the NTIA Internet Use Survey and is also referred to as the CPS Computer and Internet Use Supplement.

Sponsor 

Internet Infrastructure Coalition

Date 
Thu, 09/17/2026 - 16:00 to 18:00

Learn more about the policy priorities of the companies that make up the backbone of the Internet, including digital copyright, AI, privacy, and encryption. 

 

Register