{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://meng.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/meng-markey-and-van-hollen-applaud-the-inclusion-of-emergency", "Meng, Markey, Van Hollen Applaud the Inclusion of Emergency Connectivity Funding in Build Back Better Framework", "2021-11-01", "2021", "2021-11", "Democrat", "House", "NY", "Grace Meng", "M001188", "meng.house.gov", "meng", "https://meng.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY), U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA), and U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) applauded the inclusion of $300 million for the E-Rate Emergency Connectivity Fund within the Build Back Better framework, and released the following statement.\n\n\"Right now, 12 to 17 million students in the United States do not have internet access at home and are unable to complete their homework or participate in distance learning. To help close this \u2018homework gap,' we worked to create the Emergency Connectivity Fund within the American Rescue Plan and fought to include these additional funds in the Build Back Better Framework,\" said the lawmakers. \"The Emergency Connectivity Fund will give students the tools they need to succeed in their education by providing Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, routers, and internet-enabled devices, as well as internet service through such equipment. The Emergency Connectivity Fund has already provided new opportunities to millions of students, and this additional funding will help keep our most vulnerable children connected. But the need to permanently close the homework gap remains: that's why we intend to continue fighting for additional funds to replenish the Emergency Connectivity Fund for the next academic year and beyond, and for Congress to pass our Securing Universal Communications Connectivity to Ensure Students Succeed (SUCCESS) Act.\"\n\nIn July, Meng, Markey and Van Hollen introduced the SUCCESS Act to build on the Emergency Connectivity Fund created under the American Rescue Plan, and provide schools and libraries with $8 billion a year over five years \u2013 for a total of $40 billion \u2013 to continue to connect students to the internet following the coronavirus pandemic.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:30:49Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://meng.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/meng-markey-and-van-hollen-applaud-the-inclusion-of-emergency"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9633367881178856, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}