Rep Yvette Clarke (D-NY)

Access to internet service is meaningless to consumers if the cost of signing up is a barrier

We write in support of your ongoing focus on internet affordability as you work to administer the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program enacted in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.  For years, Democrats and Republicans expressed concern over the digital divide, and the $42 billion investment in the BEAD Program gives us a real opportunity to finally bridge this divide and connect every American to high-speed, reliable, and affordable internet.

Bipartisan Letter Urges House and Senate Leadership to Preserve the Affordable Connectivity Program

Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (D-NY) led 158 of her colleagues in a bipartisan letter to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) urging them to work to preserve the Affordable Connectivity Program, which is set to begin running out of funds in April 2024. “We write today regarding the urgent need to preserve the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)," says the letter.

Rep Clarke Introduces GREEN Communications Act

Rep Yvette Clarke (D-NY) introduced the Generating Resilient and Energy Efficient Network (GREEN) Communications Act (H.R.8178), legislation that aims to harden our communications networks against climate change and natural disasters, while simultaneously reducing the carbon footprint of communications infrastructure.

Joint Statement Of Representative Yvette Clarke And Commissioner Geoffrey Starks On Tracking Americans To Protests And Places Of Worship

For communities of color, Internet access has been a crucial tool for amplifying our narratives and mobilizing Americans for change. And smartphones have allowed us to shine a spotlight on tragedies like the killing of George Floyd. Because we believe so strongly in the power of connectivity, we must speak up when bad actors use those tools to threaten Americans’ privacy and First Amendment rights.