Political Quotes

“In 21st century America, having reliable, high-speed internet broadband isn't a luxury; it is a necessity. Just like running water or electricity, it is part of our essential infrastructure, yet millions of Americans in rural communities, including some in my district in western Maryland, remain disconnected from the internet. That lack of connectivity leads to homework gaps, healthcare gaps, and economic development gaps. It is our job in Congress to eliminate those gaps. The Federal Communications Commission is required to report accurate data to the public so that we can make effective decisions about rural broadband infrastructure policy and investment. But there is strong evidence that the percentage of Americans without broadband access is much higher than the FCC's numbers indicate. In order to justify Chairman Pai's deregulation agenda, the FCC released highly flawed and misleading data that paints a false picture of broadband deployment in rural America. We now know the FCC's data was based on a massive error that was brought to his attention before the FCC disseminated the press release touting their success. That kind of deception could lead to millions of our neighbors in rural America being locked out of this critical good.…”