Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) today released a statement condemning the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) following the agency’s approval of a rule to allow the E-rate program to support Wi-Fi hotspots for use off school property. 

“This expansion of E-rate funding to cover off school property violates federal law and will result in taxpayer dollars subsidizing children’s unsupervised internet access while failing to improve learning outcomes for children. Furthermore, the E-rate program is notorious for overbuilding and other wasteful spending. Rather than take steps to address the existing problems with the E-rate program, the FCC is doubling down to advance Chairwoman Rosenworcel’s pet projects. The FCC should instead be working with Congress to advance its policy goals.” 

On July 31, 2023, Chair Rodgers and Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Ted Cruz (R-TX) sent a letter to Chairwoman Rosenworcel expressing their opposition to her proposal to vastly expand the E-Rate program. 

On September 28, 2023, Chair Rodgers and Senator Cruz sent a letter to the then newly sworn-in FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez urging her to oppose FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel's plan to expand the E-rate program beyond school classrooms and libraries.