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Lawmakers Argue That Dismantling E-Rate Will Widen The Digital Divide And Raise Costs For The Communities That Can Least Afford It
October 20, 2026 - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) has joined a bicameral group of colleagues in urging Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr to withdraw the Commission’s damaging proposal to eliminate or limit the E-Rate program. In June, the Carr FCC voted to open a rulemaking examining E-Rate, which helps schools and libraries across the country afford reliable internet access.
“Every school should have the resources it needs to provide our kids with a high-quality education,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Millions of children who lack reliable internet access are at risk of falling behind without the critical connectivity that the E-Rate program provides. I urge the FCC to immediately withdraw its harmful proposal, and I will continue fighting to protect E-Rate and keep investing in our schools, libraries, and future leaders.”
E-Rate helps over 96% of U.S. public schools access high-speed internet. In 2025, nearly $182 million in E-Rate funding was committed to school districts and libraries across New York State, helping them afford reliable internet.
On Long Island, E-Rate saved Suffolk County public libraries over $300,000 last year, covering roughly 60% of their broadband bills. At the same time, internet demand in Nassau County school districts jumped 31% over the past year, a spike that could put significant strain on district budgets without E-Rate discounts.
In the letter, the lawmakers wrote, “Schools and libraries help develop the next generation of engineers, scientists, and cybersecurity professionals, including in communities that have historically lacked access to those opportunities. Cutting E-Rate would narrow that talent pipeline. Maintaining connectivity in every school and library is therefore an investment in America’s technological leadership, economic competitiveness, and national security.”
“We strongly support measures to protect children online and address concerns around excessive screen time. But cutting E-Rate is not a child-safety measure. E-Rate funds broadband connectivity — not laptops, tablets, applications, or online content — and recipients must already comply with the Children’s Internet Protection Act, including by using filtering and blocking tools, adopting internet-safety policies, and educating students about appropriate online behavior. States and local communities, meanwhile, are developing targeted policies governing when and how students use devices in schools — an appropriate way to address screen-time concerns, rather than cutting broadband support. The Commission should not use child safety as a pretext to dismantle the secure, managed broadband infrastructure that schools and libraries need to educate students and help them navigate the digital world safely,” the lawmakers continued.
In addition to Senator Gillibrand, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Edward Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
It was also signed by U.S. Representatives Doris Matsui (CA-07), Rob Menendez (NJ-08), Grace Meng (NY-06), and more than 60 other members of the House Democratic Caucus.
Senator Gillibrand has long fought to hold the FCC accountable and expand internet access for students across New York. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she urged the FCC to immediately provide more E-Rate funding so students learning remotely could access reliable internet from home. She also demanded answers from the FCC about its decision to block states that had already invested in rural broadband from a new federal funding program for unserved communities. Last year, she led the New York delegation in pushing the Trump administration to protect more than $270 million in federal broadband funding that New York can use to make internet service more affordable.
The full text of the letter is available HERE.
Source: Senator Kirsten Gillibrand