House Republicans Push for Broadband Mapping Bucks

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House Energy & Commerce Committee Republican leaders are urging their colleagues to fully fund the FCC's congressional mandate to collect better broadband deployment and availability. 

The President signed the Broadband DATA Act back in March. That law directs the FCC to collect that data--the FCC was independently at work on improving data collection.  

Pai: FCC Needs Mapping Funding From Congress ASAP 

In a letter to Appropriations Committee chair Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) and ranking member Kay Granger (R-Texas), House Energy & Commerce Committee ranking member Greg Walden (R-Ore.) and Bob Latta (R-Ohio) cited the COVID-19 pandemic as a big reason the FCC needs the funds for better broadband mapping, which is key to bridging the digital divide.   

"Closing the digital divide and promoting broadband deployment have long been bipartisan priorities and funding the Broadband DATA Act will improve those efforts,” they wrote. 

John Eggerton
John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.