U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Urges New FCC Chair to Reverse Decision Threatening Low-Income Americans’ Broadband Access

WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, a member of the Senate Commerce Committee and the Senate Broadband Caucus,  joined a group of senators today urging Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai to reverse a recent decision that threatens low-income Americans’ access to affordable broadband. Chairman Pai recently revoked the recognition of nine companies as providers for a critical program that has helped tens of millions of low-income Americans afford broadband service.

“We write to express how deeply troubled we are that one of your first actions as Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has been to undermine the Lifeline program and make it more difficult for low-income people to access affordable broadband,” the Senators wrote. “There is no question that access to broadband is essential to conduct daily activities, pursue job and housing opportunities, obtain quality health care services, and stay in touch with family members. This action does nothing but create a chilling effect on potential provider participation, and unfairly punish low-income consumers.”

The letter was led by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), and was also signed by U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Al Franken (D-MN), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Ben Cardin (D-MD).

A copy of the letter is available here.