Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I rise in strong opposition to today's resolution to overturn an FCC rule that provides greater flexibility to ensure that every student has the access to the internet that they need. We have known for a long time that internet access is critical for education. Students need Wi-Fi to connect with classmates and teachers, work on group projects, do research, and even just hit the ``submit'' button on some assignments. Yet too many Americans can't access reliable internet at home. It is called the ``homework gap,'' and it is leaving thousands of kids behind. This disparity only worsened during the pandemic, when the homework gap became a full learning gap for thousands of students. Many kids without internet at home had to sit in McDonald's parking lots so they could Zoom into class. As part of the American Rescue Plan, I worked with my colleague from Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey and former FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel to launch the Emergency Educational Connectivity Fund, or ECF. This $7 billion program provided nearly 18 million students at over 10,000 schools and libraries with hotspots, routers, and other equipment for students and educators to connect to the internet at home. Maryland schools and libraries received over $145 million through this program to help bridge the homework gap in my State. Even as we worked to provide support for students on an emergency basis, we worked with the FCC on modernization of the E-Rate program to ensure it meets student needs. The new FCC rule allows schools and libraries to loan out Wi-Fi hotspots to students and educators at home so we can continue to address the homework gap. But now, the Republicans want to repeal this commonsense reform and take away hotspots from low-income and rural families. This is a backwards step at a time when access to the internet is more important than ever. And because the new rule simply allowed the use of existing E-Rate funds more flexibly, the repeal of this rule does not save a dime. A vote to repeal this rule is a vote to limit the FCC's ability to address a critical need for students and to put a stop to good work being done by schools and libraries to support learning. This was an issue before the pandemic and remains an issue today. We all know that access to the internet is essential. We have worked on a bipartisan basis to expand broadband access, but we have a long way to go. The FCC modernized E-Rate to ensure that students are not disadvantaged by lack of access to broadband at home, whether that is because they are in a rural area with no connection or because it is unaffordable for their parents. This is a commonsense measure, and I urge my colleagues to vote against its repeal today. The PRESIDING OFFICER. All time is expired. The clerk will read the title of the joint resolution for the third time. The joint resolution was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading and was read the third time. Vote on S.J. Res. 7 The PRESIDING OFFICER. The joint resolution having been read the third time, the question is, Shall the joint resolution pass?”