{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/markey-hails-fcc-vote-to-modernize-e-rate-program-increase-funding", "Markey Hails FCC Vote to Modernize E-Rate Program, Increase Funding", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MA", "Edward Markey", "M000133", "www.markey.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Markey Hails FCC Vote to Modernize E-Rate Program, Increase Funding \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, December 11, 2014\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tSenator is co-author of school and libraries Internet program given boost today\r\n\u00a0\r\nWASHINGTON (December 11, 2014) \u2013 Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, today applauded the vote today by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to increase the permanent funding cap of the successful E-rate program from $2.4 billion to $3.9 billion to improve connectivity speeds and Wi-Fi services in schools and libraries.\u00a0 Senator Markey and Chairman John Rockefeller (D-W.V.) recently\u00a0called\u00a0on the FCC to raise E-Rate\u2019s permanent funding cap.\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u201cToday\u2019s historic vote at the FCC represents a win for our children, our economy, and our future,\u201d\u00a0said Senator Markey.\u00a0\u201cThe E-Rate program is an essential part of our strategy to make our future workers best compete in the 21st century.\u00a0 By taking action today, the FCC officially commenced a bright new chapter for the already incredibly successful E-Rate program.\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u201cThe FCC\u2019s vote will ensure that our schools and libraries achieve the connection speeds and Wi-Fi needed to connect fully with our interconnected world,\u201d\u00a0continued Senator Markey.\u00a0\u201cE-Rate will continue to ensure that students, whether from affluent communities or working-class neighborhoods, have the tools and skills necessary to succeed in our global economy.\u00a0I applaud the leadership of Chairman Wheeler and Commissioner Rosenworcel for their tireless efforts to improve E-Rate.\u00a0I also thank my colleague Chairman Rockefeller for our longtime partnership in improving access to technology for children throughout our country.\u201d\r\n\u00a0\r\nSenators Markey and Rockefeller are authors of the original E-Rate program, which was created as a part of the 1996 Telecommunications Act. That program has delivered more than $35 billion in funding to connect schools and libraries to the Internet to ensure access for low-income students and families, including over $500 million in Massachusetts. In 1996, only 14 percent of K-12 classrooms had Internet access. Today, Americans benefit from near ubiquitous deployment.\u00a0\r\n \r\n.@FCC vote to modernize E-Rate is a win for children, economy & future. A bright new chapter for successful program http://t.co/RvyFrOcxxs\r\n\u2014 Ed Markey (@MarkeyMemo) December 11, 2014", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "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://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/markey-hails-fcc-vote-to-modernize-e-rate-program-increase-funding"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.8025301396846771, "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"}