Tom Udall: “the Federal Communications Commission Schools and Libraries program, commonly known as E-Rate, has helped connect our…”

“the Federal Communications Commission Schools and Libraries program, commonly known as E-Rate, has helped connect our schools and libraries to high-speed broadband. Recent changes allowed for schools to pay for Wi-Fi on campuses, recognizing that students are using laptops and other devices for learning. This bill, cosponsored by my friends Senators Gardner, Cortez Masto, and Whitehouse, would allow schools to receive reimbursement for Wi-Fi on school buses--an idea inspired by a New Mexico high school student. A few years ago, a football player from Hatch Valley High School in Hatch, New Mexico told me how, after being on a bus for hours after a game, he would sit in the dark parking lot of his school doing his homework--because he didn't have high-speed broadband at home. Making Wi-Fi available on school buses is one piece to solving the homework gap--especially in rural areas. Adequate internet is an absolute necessity in this day and age. And I will continue to work with my colleagues to make sure every home in the country has adequate internet access.”