Closing the digital divide one anchor institution at a time.
FCC’s Suspension and Debarment Proposal Causes Concern February 14, 2020
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Alicja Johnson
Communications Manager
ajohnson@shlb.org
(202) 263-4626
Washington, D.C. (February 14, 2020) - Yesterday the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition and the State E-rate Coordinators Alliance expressed concern over the Federal Communications Commission’s proposed update to the Suspension and Debarment rules. The FCC’s Suspension and Debarment rules protect the Universal Service Fund programs from bad actors. The proposed new rules could penalize applicants and their consultants without adequate due process.
“SHLB understands why the FCC wishes to modernize the Suspension and Debarment rules, but the rules should not end run fair and impartial administrative procedures,” said John Windhausen Jr., executive director of the SHLB Coalition. “Some of the proposed rules could penalize schools, libraries, and healthcare providers for inadvertent mistakes or for errors made by their advisers in other, unrelated proceedings. The rules must treat individuals and organizations fairly and protect them against ad hoc decision-making.”
###
About SHLB:
The SHLB Coalition is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) advocacy organization that supports open, affordable, high-quality broadband connections for anchor institutions and their surrounding communities. The SHLB Coalition is based in Washington, D.C. and has a diverse membership of commercial and non-commercial organizations from across the United States. To learn more, visit www.shlb.org.