COMMERCE COMMITTEE APPROVES BILL TO MAKE BROADBAND ACCESS MORE AFFORDABLE

The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee issued the following news release:

The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee today approved legislation cosponsored by Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) to increase access to broadband services for cities and towns across America. The bill, the Community Broadband Act of 2007 (S.1853), is sponsored by Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), and cosponsored by Senators Gordon Smith (R-Ore.), John Kerry (D-Mass.), John McCain (R-Ariz.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine). The bill now awaits action by the full Senate.

"Broadband services are essential to providing important educational and economic opportunities, especially for rural areas," said Senator Stevens. "This bill would make it easier for municipalities, cities, and towns across our nation to offer broadband access to their residents through public-private partnerships."

This legislation would allow municipalities to help fill the void in broadband access and enhance public safety development while bringing broadband services to their residents. Senator Stevens included similar broadband provisions as part of a comprehensive communications bill last Congress.

Several groups and coalitions have expressed their strong support for the legislation including Free Press, ACUTA (the Association for Communications Technology Professionals in Higher Education), the American Association of Law Libraries, the American Library Association, the American Public Power Association, the Association of Research Libraries, Civitium, Earthlink, Inc., EDUCAUSE, Fiber to the Home Council, GO Networks, Google, Intel, IPWireless, Media Access Project, MetroNetIQ, National Association of Counties, the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors, NextWave Wireless Inc., Public Technology Institute, Skype Communications S.A., Tropos Networks, Utah Telecommunication Open Infrastructure Agency (UTOPIA), Utilities Telecom Council, and XO Communications. The Community Broadband Act of 2007 would specifically: * Set forth that no state or local regulation or requirement can prevent a public provider from offering broadband services;

* Require a municipality offering high-speed Internet services to comply with federal telecommunications law or regulation that applies to all such providers;

* Encourage public-private partnerships; and provide the public with notice and an opportunity to be heard before a municipality provides broadband to the public.Contact: Joe Brenckle, 202/224-3991; Brian Eaton, 202/224-0445.

Joe Brenckle, 202/224-3991; Brian Eaton, 202/224-0445.