Today's Regulatory Mix: US Congress Bill to Advance Broadband Services, FCC’s Pai Asks Congress Help Consumers Stay Connected After The Keep Americans Connected Pledge Ends, US Congress Moving Forward Act
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) announced the introduction of the Rural Connectivity Advancement Program (RCAP) Act of 2020 (S.4015), which would capture a portion of the proceeds from spectrum auctions conducted by the FCC through September 30, 2022, for the build out of broadband networks. The FCC would be able to utilize the funds to support broadband deployment in rural America. Specifically, RCAP would:
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai sent a letter to Congress seeking legislation to help consumers and small businesses stay connected over the coming months after the end of the Keep Americans Connected Pledge. While the Pledge expires on June 30, Pai informed Congress that he has asked companies not to disconnect consumers and small businesses who are behind on their bills due to the coronavirus pandemic in July, but instead offer the option of extended payment plans and deferred payment arrangements. He has also asked service providers in the coming months to maintain and expand their plans for low-income families and veterans as well as their remote learning plans for students. He acknowledged that many companies have already committed to taking various significant steps to keep Americans connected in coming months.
Pai issued a statement saying: “The Pledge has been an extraordinary success, and I commend the 785 service providers that have stepped up to the plate over the past three-and-a-half months to do the right thing during this national emergency. This public-private partnership has been critical to American consumers. But broadband and telephone companies, especially small ones, cannot continue to provide service without being paid for an indefinite period of time; no business in any sector of our economy could. So I believe now is the time for legislation to ensure that doctors and patients, students and teachers, low-income families and veterans, those who have lost their jobs and livelihoods due to the pandemic and the accompanying lockdowns, those in our cities and those in the countryside—in short, all Americans—remain connected until this emergency ends. The Broadband Connectivity and Digital Equity Framework proposed by Chairman Roger Wicker of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the U.S. Senate and Ranking Member Greg Walden of the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the U.S. House of Representatives is a forward-thinking proposal to do just that.” See the Regulatory Mix dated 6/19/20
Peter A. DeFazio (D-OR), Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA), Maxine Waters (D-CA), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Richard E. Neal (D-MA), Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), and Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) announced the release of the text of H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act. Among other things, the bill would:
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The Regulatory Mix, Inteserra’s blog of telecom related regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of an Inteserra Briefing.