Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D., Conn.) has led a group of 24 Democratic senators and one Independent in calling on the FCC to boost the Lifeline program to keep students connected and criticizing actions the agency has taken under Chairman Ajit Pai. "As millions of American families face unprecedented financial pressures and educational challenges, we urge the FCC to reverse proposed changes to the Lifeline program, take immediate steps to open its assistance to more households, and ensure that its services meet the pressing needs of families during this crisis," the senators wrote. "We are alarmed that as students head back to class - in person or online - there is still no national plan from the FCC to secure families' access to their educational future. This looming disaster is one product of the vast digital divide that hinders families' educational futures, economic opportunities, and health, which FCC should vigorously bridge through Lifeline and other USF programs." "Regrettably, under your Chairmanship, the FCC has actively worked to undermine and destabilize the Lifeline program, which has left more families vulnerable during the pandemic by widening the learning gap and lessening household's ability to access crucial services, such as unemployment benefits, food assistance, and health resources," the senators complained. "Since the first weeks of your tenure, the FCC has sought to block new broadband providers' participation in the Lifeline program, curtail benefits in tribal areas, exclude existing carriers, rollback reforms for registering new carriers, make it harder for new applicants to subscribe, prevent carriers from offering free in-person distribution of phones, reduce incentives to enroll subscribers, and add more barriers for participating carriers and subscriber. These proposals have been so extreme that they would lead to cutting off carriers serving almost 70% of Lifeline subscribers.
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