Feel its impacts for some time to come. The energy and Commerce Committee has been conducting oversight of the trauma administrations response to this crisis in this subcommittee is charged with overseeing the ftcs response is the primary federal agency tasked with overseeing our nations telecommute occasions infrastructure and charged with administrating the universal Service Program at no point has Broadband Service in the work done by the fcc but more important to americans as it is right now. For many of us highspeed broadband has become the means by which we work, live and stay healthy. In the last seven months the internet has become the lifeline we use to buy groceries, see doctors and interact with the outside world. Zoom has become a verb and americans all over the country are connecting over video chat for virtual worship, family reunions and so much more. In so many ways broadband has become the glue holding our society together as our nation and the world weathers this stor
Oversight of the trauma administrations response to this crisis in this subcommittee is charged with overseeing the ftcs response is the primary federal agency tasked with overseeing our nations telecommute occasions infrastructure and charged with administrating the universal Service Program at no point has Broadband Service in the work done by the fcc but more important to americans as it is right now. For many of us highspeed broadband has become the means by which we work, live and stay healthy. In the last seven months the internet has become the lifeline we use to buy groceries, see doctors and interact with the outside world. Zoom has become a verb and americans all over the country are connecting over video chat for virtual worship, family reunions and so much more. In so many ways broadband has become the glue holding our society together as our nation and the world weathers this storm. But the Digital Divide is growing has more americans struggle to pay their bills and stay c
Across the country and serving about 35 of our landmass. Host could you name a couple of those companies to help us get familiar . Guest absolutely. We could go all the way to western south dakota by Mount Rushmore to visit golden west and we could go to citizens on the Mississippi River up in wisconsin where we got cooperatives and if you are in my state of virginia weve got scott county down in the very tip of the state serving the tristate area so ive got 850. Host when you talk about landmass you not talking landmass or population at all. Guest peter, you hit upon the key part of this. Its about 5 of the American Population but they are truly the providers in this extremely rural part of the country and everywhere from alaska down to the panhandle of florida so they stretched all across and it got everybody from someone who is got about 150 subscribers to probably my Largest Company has just about 100,000 subscribers. They are serving those areas with quite frankly the Bell Compani
Come to order. I want to thank everybody for coming. I have a fairly short statement that i will read and then i will turn to the senator. Were convening under different circumstances of our previous meeting. Were following the guidance of the cdc and the office of attending physician. So were spaced further apart. Our staff is reduced. Were grateful for all of them. The general public is watching online rather than filling up the room. So our hearing today will look a little different. I think we can all agree that the capitol feels a little different, the halls of congress feel a little different. Small businesses, if theyre allowed to open at all, are operating on a very different circumstances. American homes have become classrooms and offices for millions of american families. And at least for a while, American Life as we know it has changed. Nonetheless, access or inaccess to Broadband Internet services, especially in rural areas, as remained unchanged and it might be a good topi
Good morning and welcome today hearing on the other side of the federal communications commission. And we have them here today. As a special welcome to our distinguished and all witnesses upon. Today we will hear from fcc chairman. In the commissioner and other commissioners. The fcc is the nations primary regulator and later state International Communications network. The core part of the agencys vision is to ensure that all people in the United States have access to rapid efficient and nationwide Communication Services at reasonable prices. Never before has the fccs responsibility to achieve this mission been more important. In the covid19 Public Health emergency experts a spotlight the Nations Communications networks in the American Peoples access to Broadband Services. Since march there has been a dramatic and sustained surge and internet usage. But the u. S. Network has performed well and we are very much better than other countries and in meeting this increased demand. This is to