OTI Condemns ‘Unfathomable’ Abandonment of Stimulus Talks

Today, President Trump abandoned talks on an economic stimulus bill and tweeted he would “stop negotiating until after the election.” Stock markets plunged in the wake of the announcement. Since March, OTI has repeatedly urged Congress to enact legislation to help expand internet access during the pandemic. Millions of households lack access to the internet, forcing many children to attend remote classrooms from parking lots, leaving many others unable to comply with stay-at-home orders, and stoking concern from public health officials. In July, OTI published research finding that the United States is in the grips of a broadband affordability crisis that is only poised to worsen as people lose jobs and income.

The following quote can be attributed to Joshua Stager, senior counsel at New America’s Open Technology Institute:

“Millions of people are suffering through the pandemic without internet access, yet the federal government has failed to do anything over the past seven months to meaningfully close the digital divide. We've been urging Congress and the Trump Administration to enact many policies to address the connectivity crisis, including a measure to expand E-Rate funding to help students connect at home, a ‘No Shutoffs’ mandate for broadband and other utilities, and an emergency broadband benefit to assist low-income people. We needed these measures seven months ago, and still do today. It's unfathomable that the White House is pulling the plug on any relief bill while this crisis still rages.”