A bipartisan group of House lawmakers asked the...

A bipartisan group of House lawmakers asked the FCC to revamp the E-rate program. They sent a letter Monday signed by 46, 38 belonging to the New Democrat Coalition. “Focus E-rate on broadband services, Wi-Fi updates, and filling the infrastructure gap, with continued support for connectivity services, to ensure universal access to the most up to date technology” and ensure E-rate participants pay for “the best service at the lowest price” through competitive Internet service offerings and purchaser coordination, the lawmakers urged. They also back increasing E-rate’s transparency, accountability and funding stability, with an application process that’s simplified and streamlined. The New Democrat Coalition helped drive the letter forward, a Democratic aide familiar with the coalition’s effort told us. Coalition Chairman Ron Kind, D-Wis., and member Jared Polis, D-Colo., spearheaded the letter within the coalition, the aide said. He said Reps. Charlie Dent, R-Pa., and Chris Gibson, R-N.Y., were “instrumental” in gathering Republican signatures. Expect the letter to be the first step in a broader New Democrat Coalition digital literacy focus, the aide said, citing strong coalition member interest since a presentation on the relevant data a few months back.