We believe that, today, access to the Internet and the ability to communicate over smartphones and computers is an essential service of the 21st Century.

The requirement for the FCC to develop a National Broadband Plan... was designed to produce a roadmap to a broadband future open to all Americans.

I’m here today to ask you to make the 'Equal Access to 21st Century Communications Act,' S. 3304, the strongest possible legislation.

I want to congratulate you, Senator Pryor, and Senator Rockefeller, on the leadership which you are showing on this very important issue of affordable, universal access for all Americans to the latest technologies of the 21st century.

I want to sincerely thank both Representative Ed Markey (D-MA-7) who introduced H.R. 3101 and especially today Senator Pryor and Senator Kerry today for trying to help individuals with sensory disabilities deal with the problems of access…

Representative Markey encouraged us to work with the disability community.

The time to solve the problem, in our judgment, is now.

Now, what is the result? Well, interestingly, when people turn on their TV set and they go to closed captioning... the immigrant community can now turn on the closed captioning and their children can actually read along with the words.

The guiding principles of the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act that I have introduced in the House... is to bring existing federal laws requiring communications and video programming accessibility up to date.

Our bill aims to require several things, that beginning with the largest firms that control access and entry onto the Internet, they, at minimum, make a good-faith effort at accessibility.

It is wrong that a soldier blinded in combat can come home and, because of the absence of video devices, not being able to fully access some of what is on the television, including emergency information.