Hilda L. Solis: “Mr. Chairman and Members, today I rise again in strong opposition to this bill. I support the efforts to increase…”

“Mr. Chairman and Members, today I rise again in strong opposition to this bill. I support the efforts to increase competition in the video marketplace. Greater competition, as we know, will inevitably help to create jobs and provide for lower consumer costs. But we must also make certain that benefits derived from a streamlined franchising process benefit consumers and not just the telecommunications industry. The bill doesn't go far enough, in my opinion, to ensure that all communities have access to broadband Internet. Although the broadband access has increased greatly in recent years, the digital divide remains a reality in communities like mine, the ones that I represent in Los Angeles County in California. In fact, in 2003, a study by the Pew Foundation found that those least likely to have broadband Internet access at home are the poor, the older, less educated and Latinos and African Americans; 60 percent of the constituents I represent in my district happen to be underserved Latinos. While Latinos are the fastest growing demographic group of online users, only one in eight Latino households has access to broadband services.…”