Jessica Rosenworcel: “Following Hurricane Ida, Commissioner Carr and I went down to Louisiana... it needed to be mandatory.”

I want to emphasize how much we do need that authority back.

I want to acknowledge that the Emergency Connectivity Fund, championed by Chairman Van Hollen, has also been instrumental in closing the digital divide.

We have come too far to turn back. Keeping this program funded needs to be a priority.

I have developed something called the Broadband Funding Map using $10 million in direct appropriations set aside in the IIJA.