Rosenworcel, Others Commemorate Telecom Act Anniversary
Acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel commemorated the 25th anniversary of the Telecom Act with a Twitter chat about the law's impact and an online video featuring legislators and former commissioners. In the video, Rosenworcel credited the act with paving the…
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way for the modern use of the internet and said it should guide how to modify communications policy, “because access to modern communications for everyone everywhere has never been more important for full participation in American life.” “It’s a fine old act,” sang former Commissioner Rachelle Chong on the video as she performed a song she composed for the occasion. “We have to move with urgency” to restore net neutrality, combat consolidation and focus on inclusion and equity, said Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass. “We need to debate and discuss bipartisan reforms,” said Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., supporting universal broadband. Former Commissioner Susan Ness said the FCC has become more divided since the act passed. In a separate video for the Hudson Institute, former Commissioners Mike O’Rielly and Harold Furchtgott-Roth -- both ex-congressional staffers who worked on the measure -- said they were surprised how portions of it are interpreted. Furchtgott-Roth believed at the time of the act’s passing that media ownership rules would be gone within two years: “I think that was the intention of Congress at the time.” O’Rielly decried the use of the preamble as a justification for FCC policies. Furchtgott-Roth said he drafted the preamble, which says the act exists “to promote competition and reduce regulation in order to secure lower prices and higher quality services.” The preamble wasn’t meant to be substantive, the former commissioner said: “It was supposed to be completely worthless.” In a Twitter chat with Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-Conn., Rosenworcel said the timing of the '96 law "was no coincidence." Consumers "enjoyed waves of new products and services, and U.S. innovators set the pace globally for the emerging internet economy," she tweeted. A key program established under the law was E-rate, but many students still lack internet access and visit in parking lots to do homework, Rosenworcel said. It's an issue close to the heart for Hayes, 2016's Teacher of the Year. "Millions of kids across this country … can not do their homework or participate in class" during the pandemic because they can't get online, Hayes tweeted. The commission sought comments last week on whether to allow E-rate funds for remote learning (see 2102010064).