OTI Praises E-Rate Funding in American Rescue Plan

Today, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan, a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package. Among other things, the legislation includes $7.17 billion for the Federal Communications Commission’s E-Rate program to help schools and libraries connect students and teachers to the internet for remote learning. OTI has repeatedly urged the FCC to expand this program since the onset of the pandemic, and just last month submitted detailed recommendations for how the FCC should expand E-Rate during the COVID-19 crisis. 

The following statement can be attributed to Joshua Stager, deputy director of broadband and competition policy for New America’s Open Technology Institute:

“The American Rescue Plan is a historic achievement that will help millions of people. In particular, we applaud Congress for directing over $7 billion to the FCC's E-Rate program, which will help students stay connected during remote and hybrid learning. OTI has petitioned the FCC since April 2020 to expand E-Rate as classrooms moved online, and we are grateful that help is finally on the way.

“The FCC will now oversee this funding, along with the $3.2 billion Congress appropriated in December for the Emergency Broadband Benefit. But the FCC needs more than emergency funding on an ad hoc basis—it needs legal authority. If Congress trusts the FCC with billions of dollars in broadband subsidies, it should also restore the agency's Title II authority over the broadband industry. This authority would empower the FCC to protect consumers and hold internet providers accountable while the agency oversees this multi-billion dollar investment.”