Abstract:
The undersigned education and related national associations write in strong support of the
Emergency Educational Connections Act of 2020 (H.R. 6563), introduced by Rep. Meng. This bill
would appropriate $2 billion for an Emergency Connectivity Fund, administered through the
Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) E-Rate program, for schools and libraries to support
distance and remote learning for millions of students without home internet access for the duration
of the COVID-19 emergency. With school buildings closed in every state in the country in response
to this pandemic, and 36 states and 3 territories already announcing their schools will not reopen
before summer break, time is of the essence to provide remote and distance learning support. An
estimated 9 to 12 million students and some of their teachers currently lack home internet access
and are unable to participate in their classes that have been moved online. We strongly urge you to
take up and pass this bill as part of COVID-19 relief package IV.
