Chairman Pai's Response to Senators Regarding Student Connectivity During COVID-19 Pandemic

On March 19, Sens Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Gary Peters (D-MI), and Jon Tester (D-MT) wrote to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai making the FCC to take immediate action to ensure that all K-12 students in the U.S. have access to the internet so that they can continue learning while schools are closed in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. On June 22, Chairman Pai wrote back saying, "The FCC aims to enable [the] transition to remote learning. But we face a major barrier: the Communications Act, which the FCC is duty-bound to administer, expressly limits the FCC's use of E-Rate program funding to broadband and other services delivered to school "classrooms" and libraries. Connectivity and devices supplied to students at home, unfortunately, do not qualify for E-Rate support under the law." Chairman Pai said he is working with Congress to appropriate dedicated funding for remote learning. 


Chairman Response Regarding Student Connectivity During COVID-19