Press Releases |
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Chairman Stevens Sees Communications Reform Bill as Measure to Speed Broadband Deployment
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) today received the Government Accountability Office (GAO)’s report detailing certain shortcomings in broadband deployment and penetration in the . In response, Chairman Stevens urged his colleagues to support S. 2686, the Communications, Consumers’ Choice and Broadband Deployment Act of 2006, which respond to many of the GAO report’s findings.
The GAO report found that only 28 percent of American households subscribe to broadband Internet service, another 30 percent subscribe only to dial-up service, and 41 percent of American households are not connected to the Internet at all. The GAO report also found that rural Americans are much less likely to subscribe to broadband than those living in cities. In all, only 17 percent of rural households have to broadband service.
“The disparity of broadband deployment between rural and urban America cited in the GAO report raises serious concerns,” said Chairman Stevens. “High-speed Internet access is absolutely essential to all Americans, whether you live in Manhattan or a remote village in
Alaska . Numerous provisions in the Communications, Consumers’ Choice, and Broadband Deployment Act of 2006 focus on addressing this broadband deployment problem.”
S. 2686 helps bring high-speed Internet access to rural areas by creating incentives for broadband deployment, and specifically creating a $500 million fund to speed the deployment of broadband to unserved areas.
In addition, the Communications, Consumers’ Choice, and Broadband Deployment Act of speeds broadband deployment and adoption by:
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introducing more competition in the market for a bundle of services, including phone, video and broadband, leading to lower prices and better broadband options for more Americans;
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allowing unlicensed devices, which would provide communities with wireless broadband and home networking services, to operate in the portions of the television broadcast spectrum not being used by the television broadcasters; and
- permitting municipal broadband services.
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26th - |
Senate Approves DOT Nominees
- Washington, D.C. - The Senate today confirmed by unanimous consent the following Department of Transportation nominees previously reported by the Senate Commerce Committee:
Nicole Nason to be Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Tyler Duvall to be Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy
Roger Shane Karr to be Assistant Secretary for Governmental...
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26th - |
Senate Approves McDowell to be Member of FCC
- Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Senate today confirmed by unanimous consent Robert McDowell to be a Member of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
"Rob McDowells confirmation today is great news for the FCC," said Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. "Robs expertise and experience will be an asset to the Commi...
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25th - |
Chairman Stevens Urges Congress to Pass WARN Act
- WASHINGTON, DC – Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) today urged Congress to pass S. 1753, the Warning, Alert, and Response Network (WARN) Act of 2006, which establishes a national system for the transmission of public safety alerts across a broad variety of communications technologies.
The Senate Commerce Committee approved without objection the WARN Act on October...
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23rd - |
Chairman Stevens Co-Sponsors Resolution Declaring June National Internet Safety Month
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) last night joined 13 other Members of the Senate in co-sponsoring Senate Resolution 486, which designates June as "National Internet Safety Month." The primary goal of the resolution is to raise awareness about responsible Internet use among all citizens, particularly children. The measure passed the Senat...
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18th - |
Senate Commerce Committee Approves American Innovation and Competitiveness Act
- WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation today approved S. 2802, the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act, by a vote of 21-0.
Senator John Ensign (R-Nev.), Chairman of the Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Technology, Innovation, and Competitiveness, introduced the bill, which was co-sponsored by Commerce Committee Chairman Ted St...
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11th - |
Commerce, Banking Leaders Advance Port, Cargo, Rail, and Transit Security Bill
- WASHINGTON, DC – Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Co-Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) were joined today by Senate Banking Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), and Ranking Member Paul Sarbanes (D-Md.), along with 37 co-sponsors, in introducing a bipartisan comprehensive bill that would make significant security improvements to the nation’s transport...
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11th - |
Chairman Stevens Leads Effort to Move Port, Cargo, Rail, and Transit Security
- WASHINGTON, DC – Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Co-Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) were joined today by Senate Banking Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), and Ranking Member Paul Sarbanes (D-Md.), along with 37 co-sponsors, in introducing a bipartisan comprehensive bill that would make significant security improvements to the nation’s transport...
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9th - |
Chairman Stevens Speaks in Support of Massachusetts
Deciding Nantucket Sound Wind Farm Siting
- Washington, D.C. – Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) today spoke in support of the provision in the U.S. Coast Guard reauthorization conference report (H.R. 889) giving the State of Massachusetts the right to determine where a wind turbine energy facility is located.
Stevens argued that although he agrees with Senator Ted Kennedy&rsquo...
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5th - |
current Press Release |
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1st - |
Chairman Stevens Introduces Comprehensive Communications Reform Bill
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) today introduced S.2686, the Communications, Consumers Choice, and Broadband Deployment Act of 2006. The legislation, which consists of 10 separate titles, reforms existing communications laws to promote competition, cost savings for consumers, and the speedy deployment of broadband services to all Americans. Co-Ch...
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