Saratoga, NY – Congresswoman Stefanik has released the below statement regarding a Challenge Petition filed by Charter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for a waiver of the Commission’s rule relating to census block eligibility for Phase I of the Rural Deployment Opportunity Fund (RDOF):
“I strongly oppose Charter’s waiver request to the FCC, as it would reverse much of the eligibility for rural communities to access broadband project funding through the RDOF,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “I worked with FCC Chairman Pai this past January to include New York State on the list of states eligible for RDOF funding and to get that funding to our upstate communities who so desperately need broadband access. I have heard directly from constituents and local elected officials that this decision would have a severe impact on their ability to gain rural broadband access, which is essential, especially during this time of crisis. Charter’s request would exclude parts of the North Country from this critical federal funding, and I will work with my upstate colleagues and the FCC to keep it available.”
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