Rep. Matsui Applauds Rockefeller/Hutchison Broadband Lifeline Bill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, December 11, 2009

CONTACT: MARA LEE

(202) 225-7163

Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-05) applauded Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller's (D-WV) and Ranking Committee Member Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson's (R-TX) introduction of similar legislation to her own, the Broadband Affordability Act of 2009. Representative Matsui, a member of the House Energy and Commerce Communications, Technology and the Internet Subcommittee, introduced H.R. 3646 in September.

"I am very pleased to see bipartisan support in the Senate for legislation to help bridge the digital divide," said Matsui. "As technology continues to become an even more integral part of our everyday lives, we must not allow fellow Americans to be left behind regardless of income or geography. Having the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) create a program for universal broadband adoption, similar to the lifeline assistance program, will help close the vast digital divide in this country. Such legislation will provide all Americans the opportunity to stay connected through affordable access to high-speed communications networks. I look forward to working with the Senate as we move ahead on this legislation and strive to bridge the digital divide."

Congresswoman Matsui's Broadband Affordability Act directs the FCC to develop a program that assists low-income Americans in both rural and urban areas with access to affordable broadband internet service. Matsui's bill has been endorsed by the Communications Workers Alliance (CWA), America's largest communications and media union, representing over 700,000 men and women in both private and public sectors. The Board of Directors of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) unanimously adopted a resolution supporting the Matsui bill at its annual meeting in Chicago last month.