Technology and Broadband

Too many people in America are being left behind by the digital divide that persists in rural America and Native American territories. That’s why I previously introduced the New Deal Rural Broadband Act of 2017, an ambitious plan to connect every home, business, and school to high-speed, reliable broadband internet that is based on Roosevelt’s New Deal rural electrification model. I also have worked to close the digital divide by introducing the Public Lands Telecommunications Act, which aims to expand 21st century broadband infrastructure to every home, school, and business on the North Coast by providing agencies like the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest service with the resources to partner with industry and community leaders to achieve this goal. 

Local and Independent Television Protections Against Media Monopolies: 

In the 115th Congress, I introduced the Local and Independent Television Protection Act, which would protect local television markets across the country from corporate consolidation by permanently ending the so-called “UHF discount,” an obsolete FCC loophole that the Trump administration attempted to revive to benefit right-wing media conglomerates by dramatically reducing competition among local TV stations across the country. 

CHIPS and Science Act: 

The U.S. should be a leader in advancing science and technology. In the 117th Congress, we passed into law the CHIPS and Science Act, which invests in research and development, science and technology, and the workforce of the future to keep the United States the leader in the industries of tomorrow, including nanotechnology, clean energy, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence.