Policymakers

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel 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.

The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society is proud to share the news that Benton Senior Counselor Andrew Jay Schwartzman has been awarded the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School Law Alumni Society’s highest honor, the James Wilson Award, “for a lifetime of public service.” In a February 3 virtual ceremony, Penn Law Dean Theodore Ruger said that Schwartzman—a member of Penn’s 1968 undergraduate class and the law school class of 1971—“is known as the dean of public interest commu

Rep Doris Matsui (D-CA), along with seven colleagues, sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to support the development and execution of the Biden Administration’s spectrum policy by bolstering the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and quickly nominating a Chief Technology Officer (CTO). “To ensure agencies have the requisite resources to fulfill their mandates and to maintain US leadership in next-generation communications networks, it is imperative that the Federal government have a unified approach to spectrum policy,” said the letter.

The Federal Communications Commission announced that Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel will serve as Chair of the relaunched and revitalized Cybersecurity Forum for Independent and Executive Branch Regulators, a federal interagency group that shares information and expertise to enhance the cybersecurity of America’s critical infrastructure. Initially launched in 2014, the Forum has been mostly inactive for the past several years.

"Democratic leadership repeatedly said that if Democrats took control of the Senate they would move quickly to get the Federal Communications Commission back to work protecting the public," said Fight for the Future Evan Greer in a letter to Sen Chuck Schumer (D-NY)."But Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), in her role as chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, has been actively and egregiously preventing Democrats from making good on those promises.

Cable and telecommunications internet service providers are pushing back on Democratic Federal Communications Commission nominee Gigi Sohn [Senior Fellow and Public Advocate at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society]'s promise to recuse herself from some issues if confirmed. They‘re suggesting such an offer signals a wider problem with which issues she would or should be weighing in on, and what impact that would have on the agency and the industry.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced that it is continuing to build out its senior leadership following the confirmation of Alan Davidson as Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information. April McClain-Delaney, formerly the Washington Director of Common Sense Media, has been named Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information. Andy Berke, former mayor of Chattanooga (TN), is joining NTIA as a special representative for broadband.

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel responded to Sens Roger Wicker (R-MS) and John Thune (R-SD) and Reps Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Robert Latta (R-OH) on January 7, 2022, regarding their letter about the FCC’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) report on fraudulent enrollments by providers in the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program.

"Last year, Congress passed the [Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act], which includes more than $42 billion in grants to states and territories focused on funding high-speed broadband deployment to households and businesses that currently lack access to these services," said Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to the National Governor's Association. "States will soon have access to initial planning funds, which will help inform a five-year action plan. We need you to start preparing for this program now.

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced the appointment of the following Bureau and Office Chiefs: