Rosenworcel Updates Senators on Efforts to Update Broadband Maps

During a wide-ranging nominations hearing on Wednesday, members of the Senate Commerce Committee mostly questioned FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel about the agency’s efforts to improve broadband maps and close the digital divide. Now that President Joe Biden has signed the infrastructure legislation into law that contains $65 billion in broadband deployment dollars, senators on both sides of the aisle stressed they want those subsidies to go to areas that need internet connectivity.

Committee Chair Maria Cantwell (D-WA) called the broadband funding “a good start, but obviously we need the updated mapping.” Ranking Member Roger Wicker (R-MS) too, stressed the need to avoid wasting tax dollars by overbuilding. Continue Reading