$50 Emergency Broadband Benefit Continues to Be Needed

In a July 22 op-ed Eboni Winford, director of research for Cherokee Health Systems, and Terri Sabella, chief executive officer of Tennessee Primary Care Association, argued that voice and broadband service is critical during the pandemic for struggling individuals to access lifesaving health services. "The Senate should act to offer low-income households a $50 monthly benefit to obtain faster speed broadband and unlimited talk and text for the duration of the coronavirus crisis."

This policy proposal mirrors Jon Sallet's April 1 piece Affordable Broadband Now and Later, where he wrote, "In pursuit of achieving truly universal broadband service at a time when we know everyone desperately needs to stay connected at home, the Federal Communications Commission should immediately provide $50 per month to low-income households to subsidize fast broadband service during these crises of health and economic dislocation."

As the pandemic continues, so too does the critical need for affordable broadband.