Congressional

The group serves as a discussion forum to craft and advocate for policies that support the continued flow of funds through the Universal Service Fund to support the needs of anchor institutions and their surrounding communities.

November Meeting Summary

The meeting debriefed Danielle Thumann’s FCC nomination hearing, highlighting significant concerns around E-Rate’s future, the FCC’s authority to terminate or restrict the program, and unsatisfactory responses to senators’ questions; the committee’s next steps include written questions by November 12 and responses by November 16. The discussion also covered ongoing Senate and House advocacy letters supporting E-Rate, recent election results and congressional retirements that may affect the working group, anticipated hearings on USF and affordability, and potential changes in FCC leadership. 

Full meeting notes for this and prior meetings are only available to SHLB  members, and can be accessed here.