Senator Blumenthal Warns Against Nullifying FCC Internet Rule for Students

The Threat to Student Internet Access

• ⚠️ Senator Blumenthal is speaking out against Senate Joint Resolution 7, which he states would prevent millions of students, educators, and families from accessing the internet.
• 💡 The resolution threatens to cut off access to the online world, which is crucial for learning, teaching, communication, and building communities.

The Homework Gap and Digital Divide

• 📚 Digital education offers flexible learning, but a lack of home broadband creates a "homework gap", a fundamental issue of equity.
• 📉 Studies show that students without home broadband earn lower grades, impacting their career prospects and potentially setting them back for life.
• 🚗 The impact was evident during COVID-19 when students resorted to using McDonald's parking lots for internet access to complete their homework.

FCC Rule and Hotspot Program Success

• 🤝 To combat the homework gap, Congress established a fund in 2021 for schools and libraries to loan Wi-Fi hotspots to students and educators.
• 🚀 This program was highly successful, providing internet access to nearly 18 million students across over 10,000 institutions.
• 💡 In Connecticut, federal and state funding ensured every student had access to a laptop and high-speed broadband.

FCC's Role and the Proposed Resolution

• 🌐 When federal funds ran out, the FCC issued a rule allowing schools and libraries to continue providing Wi-Fi hotspots through its E-Rate program.
• 📌 This FCC rule supports hotspot lending programs in various libraries, benefiting communities across political divides.
• 🚫 Senate Joint Resolution 7 aims to nullify this FCC rule, which Blumenthal argues is a "self-inflicted wound" that will exacerbate inequalities.

Call to Reject the Resolution

• 📣 Blumenthal urges colleagues to reject the resolution, emphasizing that it makes no sense and will undo hard work in closing the digital divide.
• 🚫 He warns that voting in favor of the resolution is irreversible and could prevent the FCC from adopting similar rules in the future.
• ✨ The senator advocates for expanding, not constricting, internet access, calling the effort "cruel, mean, and stupid" and urging a positive step to continue the program for students' futures.