Federal Delay of Emergency Broadband Program Calls into Doubt Fitness of Acting FCC Chair to Serve as Permanent Chair

TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Nov. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As the federal confirmation process begins for the Acting Chair of the FCC, two non-profit groups representing Florida consumers, taxpayers and businesses are calling on the United States Senate Commerce Committee to hold Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel accountable for the unacceptable delay in the rollout of the Emergency Broadband Benefits program funded by Congress. That multi-month delay essentially denied rural broadband timely access to millions of qualified poor Americans during the pandemic.

The committee is holding hearings to consider confirming Rosenworcel to the permanent position as head of the FCC. That doesn't sit well with the Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce or the Florida Alliance for Consumers and Taxpayers (FACT).

"When rural Floridians – and Americans – needed broadband access as soon as possible, Acting Chairwoman Rosenworcel listened to the powerful special interests in the telecom industry and delayed implementation of a crucial federal program," said Julio Fuentes, president of the Florida State Hispanic Chamber. "Many of these people denied more timely access are people of color. It is unconscionable that this program was delayed at the behest of Big Telecom."

The program in question is the Emergency Broadband Benefits (EBB) program which offers eligible households a discount of up to $50 per month toward broadband service. A recent study shows that 42 million Americans lack broadband internet access.

The EBB program would have come in handy for rural and underserved markets, said FACT director Jim Messer: "How many telehealth appointments were missed? How many school lessons weren't downloaded? How many workers or unemployed people were put under even more stress?"

"This decision to delay the implementation of the EBB program by several months calls into question Acting Chairwoman Rosenworcel's ability to properly lead the FCC in the public interest," Messer said. "Why the delay? Why did powerful special interests prevail over the public interest? Americans deserve answers to these and other questions."

Both FACT and the Florida State Hispanic Chamber are calling on the Senate Commerce Committee to, at the least, question Rosenworcel about these delays. "Perhaps a delay of her nomination would be an effective way to communicate how painful this delay in EBB implementation was to those who needed broadband help so desperately," Messer said.

Fuentes added: "Hispanic voters want to know that their interests are being represented across all areas of government. Right now, it's hard to see how that's happening at the FCC."

SOURCE Florida Alliance for Consumers and Taxpayers; Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce