Upcoming policy issue

The digital inclusion program manager of a program to get people online warned during a press conference that if the Affordable Connectivity Program ends and later resumes, tens of millions of  beneficiaries may have to manually re-enroll. Leslie Scott, digital inclusion program manager of KC Digital Drive, raised the concerns in a press conference hosted by advocates of renewing the ACP. Scott said that, during a Federal Communications Commission listening session, she and other observers were informed that if the ACP restarts after shutting down, 23 million program participants might have

Rep Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel called for urgent congressional action to extend funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program. The program provides eligible households with a discount on their monthly internet bills. Currently, 338,000 New Jersey families are benefiting from the program, including nearly 24,000 households in Rep Pallone’s Congressional district.

The Federal Communications Commission last updated its speed benchmarks for advanced telecommunications capability in January 2015; since then our online lives have changed dramatically, so the Commission’s coming action is welcome and overdue. The new benchmark aligns the FCC standard with the bar set by Congress in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) launched a Request for Comment on the risks, benefits and potential policy related to advanced artificial intelligence (AI) models with widely available model weights—the core component of AI systems. These “open-weight” models allow developers to build upon and adapt previous work, broadening AI tools’ availability to small companies, researchers, nonprofits, and individuals.

In 2021, Congress created the Affordable Connectivity Program, a program that is helping eligible low-income households afford high-speed internet, and allowing them to stay connected with family, work, healthcare resources, and more. The program provides a discount of up to $30.00 per month toward internet service.

The Federal Communications Commission paused enrollment for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which has reached over 20 million households across the US, who represent only a fraction of residents eligible for the program. Absent additional funding, the program is set to expire in April 2024.

If you follow broadband news, you’d be forgiven for thinking we’re about to end the digital divide. That sentiment has dominated recent conversations we’ve had with foundation leaders who, having initially joined the chorus of voices calling for digital equity at the height of Covid-19, are now drifting to the sidelines, under the impression that the government’s broadband spending push will solve the problem. It won’t. Despite its ambition, the latest round of public investment will not reach all 42 million Americans still living without internet access.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) announced the establishment of a bipartisan Task Force on Artificial Intelligence (AI) to explore how Congress can ensure America continues to lead the world in AI innovation while considering guardrails that may be appropriate to safeguard the nation against current and emerging threats. Speaker Johnson and Leader Jeffries have each appointed twelve members to the Task Force that represent key committees of jurisdiction and will be jointly led by Chair Jay Obernolte (R-CA-23) and Co-Chair Ted Lieu (D-CA-36).

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel appointed members of the Consumer Advisory Committee for the CAC's 12th term. The CAC is organized under, and operated in accordance with, the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) and provides advice and recommendations to the Commission on a wide array of consumer protection related matters specified by the FCC. The membership consists of a diverse mix of non-profit organizations representing consumers, communications companies and trade associations, and individuals serving on their own behalf and function

The Illinois Office of Broadband formally launched its Challenge Process on February 20, 2024, starting the 120-day clock to get the broadband map right. The Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Challenge Process gives Illinois non-profits, local governments, residents, and internet service providers the opportunity to weigh in on the broadband availability map to ensure funding is going where it is needed most.