Category: US Senate

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released an updated version of their National Broadband Map that will ensure Nevada receives more federal funding from the $42.5 billion in broadband grants she pushed for in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Senators Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) pushed the FCC to update their map after the previous version of the map missed over 7,000 locations in Nevada without access to high-speed internet services, which could have caused the state to lose out on millions in federal funding.

“Nevada was at risk of being shortchanged when it came to federal broadband grants, and I pushed the FCC to improve its processes and ensure that the Silver State receives more critical federal funding,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I’ll continue to call for transparency and oversight of these critical programs to make sure investments to expand internet access are getting to the communities who need them most.”

As part of her Innovation State Initiative, Senator Cortez Masto has led in the Senate to improve broadband access and strengthen Nevada’s economy. She’s called for increased accountability for federal broadband programs through efforts like the FCC broadband availability map. Most recently, she pushed for greater transparency and tracking of federal broadband funding through her bipartisan mapping tool she created in her ACCESS Broadband Act legislation. The Senator’s efforts have helped provide funding to Nevada, including more than $11 million for Nevada tribes, $27 million for Lovelock, NV and $7.3 million for Elko County residents.

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Bipartisan, bicameral legislation would require DOD to track, publish overdose data for service members and their families while expanding access to treatment, prevention resources

Washington, D.C. –Today, Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), alongside Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Mike Braun (R-Ind.) and Representatives Seth Moulton (MA-06) and Nancy Mace (SC-01), led their colleagues in announcing the introduction of the?Department of Defense Overdose Data (DOD) Act,?bipartisan and bicameral?legislation?to address the impacts of the opioid epidemic among members of the U.S. military and their family. The legislation would require the Department of Defense to provide an annual public report outlining fatal and non-fatal overdoses among service members and military families, address barriers to care for substance use disorder (SUD), and expand access to overdose prevention tools like naloxone, a nasal spray capable of reversing a fatal opioid overdose, and fentanyl test strips. 

Bill Text (PDF) 

 “Tragically, the impacts of fentanyl and the opioid crisis are felt across the country, including among the military community. Fully understanding the extent of this epidemic is important to how we approach the solutions, including how we provide support for military members struggling with substance misuse,”said Senator Murkowski.“I’ve long supported improving access to overdose prevention tools like naloxone, and this bipartisan effort to collect strong data will help improve efforts to address the opioid crisis, ultimately saving lives.” 

 
“The opioid epidemic is reaching every community across?our country, including military bases,”?said Senator Markey.?“One service member whose life is lost because they couldn’t get the help they need is unacceptable, yet in recent years, hundreds of service members have suffered a fatal overdose, and thousands more nearly did. The information we received from the Department of Defense is a call to action to address this epidemic’s impact on service members and their families and to institute systemic reform to prevent overdose, improve access to treatment, and reduce the stigma of asking for help.” 
 
“The statistics uncovered by Senator Markey’s investigation – 15,000 active-duty overdose deaths or near-deaths between 2017-2021 – are extremely alarming. This is not only a tragedy for those individuals and their families, it is an institutional failure and a threat to our national defense,” said Congressman Moulton.“We need more data, more accountability, and a plan for stopping so many of these preventable deaths from happening in the future. This legislation would require critical reporting that will help destigmatize mental health in the military and inform solutions for decreasing overdoes and addiction rates.” 
 
“The substance use crisis is devastating communities across the country, and it’s more important than ever that we take action to tackle this epidemic head-on, including by doing everything we can to protect our service members,”said Senator Warren.?“I’m glad to partner with my colleagues to introduce this bipartisan legislation to expand access to treatment and prevention services for service members and require the Department of Defense to make its overdose data publicly available” 
 
“Drug overdose among servicemembers is a serious problem that needs more attention – the number of fentanyl overdoses doubled from 2017 to 2021,”?said Senator Braun.?”This bill will help shed more light on this issue and find solutions.” 
 
“As the daughter of an Army General, we understand the?Department of Defense Overdose Data (DOD) Act?is a crucial step towards addressing the devastating impact of the opioid epidemic within our armed forces,”?said Congresswoman Mace.?“We owe it to those who have put their lives on the line for our country to better understand the scope of the problem and implement effective solutions. Our military personnel and their loved ones make immense sacrifices for our nation, and it is our duty to ensure their well-being and access to necessary care.” 
 
Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), and Angus King (I-Maine) joined Senators Markey, Murkowski, Warren, and Braun as cosponsors. 
 
Specifically, the?DOD Act?would require the Department of Defense to: 

• Report annually on service member and military family overdoses and related data—including demographic data, substances involved, number of intentional overdoses, whether or not service members were prescribed naloxone before a non-fatal overdose, previous prescriptions, co-morbid mental health diagnoses, previous overdose history, referral to treatment, participation in treatment, history of positive drug tests, analysis of discernable patterns in overdoses, existing and anticipated response efforts, access to treatment, and available treatment programs; 
• Assess barriers to SUD treatment and prevention by engaging with a research center to identify solutions for increasing access to care, non-opioid pain management, interagency actions, and continuity of care while reducing stigma and educating service members on prevention, harm reduction, and treatment; and, 
• Develop a new standard for the distribution of naloxone or other medication for overdose reversal, opioid disposal materials, fentanyl test strips, and other materials to prevent or reduce overdose, SUD, or other impacts of substance use. 

 
The DOD Act is endorsed by the?Wounded Warrior Project, American Legion, SAFE Project, Faces and Voices of Recovery, Home Base, Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund, Mass General Brigham, Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association, and the Cape & Islands Veterans Outreach Center. 

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) announced more than 86,000 new unserved locations in West Virginia according to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) latest update to its broadband coverage map. Senator Manchin authored provisions in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocating funds to each state based on their proportion of unserved areas, requiring that funding be based on updated maps, and establishing a challenge process to give states, communities, and individuals a voice in the process.  

“Since the release of the FCC’s updated map in November, I have worked with the State Broadband Office, this Administration, and communities across the state to ensure that West Virginia has the most accurate representation in the map as possible,” said Senator Manchin. “As a result of my provisions in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this map will provide the basis for billions of dollars in infrastructure funding. Today’s update shows that 271,000 locations in West Virginia, an increase of more than 86,000, are now eligible for broadband funding. This is exactly why I fought for years to fix the map and included a process so that anyone could challenge its accuracy. I will continue to do everything I can to ensure we have the funding we need for every West Virginian to get access to reliable, affordable broadband.”

In the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Senator Manchin created the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program within the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Senator Manchin authored the provision that allocates funding to each state based on its proportion of unserved areas in the updated FCC broadband coverage map, as well as additional funding for high-cost areas like West Virginia that are more difficult to serve.

For years, Senator Manchin has fought to update the maps, submitting more than 2,400 speedtests to the FCC on behalf of West Virginians to prove that its maps were inaccurate. As a result of these efforts, Senator Manchin secured provisions in the Broadband DATA Act in 2020 that authorized the FCC to update its coverage map and allowed West Virginians to see if the FCC’s map accurately depicted whether they had broadband coverage at their address, who provided such coverage, and the type of technology being used. If the FCC map was inaccurate, West Virginians were able to provide direct input to the FCC by submitting a challenge to the map.

In December, Senator Manchin’s office held a webinar with the State Broadband Office urging folks to submit challenges to the map, which will provide the basis for the billions of dollars in broadband funding that Senator Manchin included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

A timeline of Senator Manchin’s efforts to address broadband coverage issues can be found below or here.

May 30, 2023

**Shaheen was the Democratic negotiator of broadband provisions of the historic, bipartisan Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act**

**Most up-to-date FCC map will determine upcoming Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program allocations, which will be made to states by June 30th**

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) – chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee that funds the Department of Commerce and the lead Democratic negotiator of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) – released the following statement after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released its update to the FCC Broadband Map. The Broadband Map shares internet services available in states across the nation, which helps guide federal resources for jurisdictions to close gaps and expand broadband access.

The release of the new national Broadband Map is especially important for more rural areas of the country, including those in New Hampshire, that are in need of federal investments to get their communities online and connected to the rest of the state, country and world. This map is especially critical, as it will be used to determine allocations for the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program, which is administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and was established by the bipartisan IIJA, of which Shaheen was the lead Democratic negotiator of provisions related to broadband. In December, Shaheen led the New Hampshire congressional delegation in a press announcement detailing more than $5.5 million that would be made available to New Hampshire through the BEAD program for deployment and digital equity planning. The FCC will use the most up-to-date National Broadband Map to begin BEAD program allocations, which will be made by June 30th. Shaheen addressed the BEAD program and implications from an updated National Broadband map during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing last month.

“With the release of the updated National Broadband Map, we can ensure the most accurate data will be used to determine federal resources for our communities in urgent need of a helping hand to access affordable, equitable and reliable high-speed internet services. The pandemic exposed existing gaps in our grid that left rural communities behind, compromising access to education, capital, telehealth services and more. Now, we have the information we need to ensure New Hampshire and other communities can get their fair share of federal dollars to close the digital divide,” said Shaheen. “As a lead negotiator of the bipartisan infrastructure law that established the historic BEAD program that will be responsible for using this map to determine and deploy broadband funding to New Hampshire, I’m excited to see this effort moving forward and implemented as intended. As our government funding process gets underway, I’ll work to ensure the Commerce Department and relevant agencies have the federal resources necessary to meet the demand for bringing high-speed internet services to every corner of the country.”

The updated map is available here. Preliminary findings indicate that the number of Broadband Serviceable Locations (BSLs) in New Hampshire increased by 10,815 since the last map.  The number of unserved locations also increased by 2,273.  These figures point to a nearly 10 percent increase in the number of unserved locations, an increase that was very high relative to most other states. According to the data, the representation of fixed wireless availability in New Hampshire went down, and 51,505 corrections were made by providers to the fixed wireless service offerings at BSLs across the state. These data corrections reflect a more accurate assessment of broadband service availability for homes and businesses in New Hampshire. This improved map will help ensure New Hampshire receives the full level of federal funding needed to close the digital divide and provide all Granite Staters with access to affordable high-speed internet.

Senator Shaheen has long worked to bridge the digital divide in New Hampshire to get the state’s most rural communities online. In 2020, Shaheen lauded the addition of New Hampshire to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s National Broadband Availability Map program (NBAM). As chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee that provides funding for the NBAM, Shaheen has secured funding for the program since its inception in fiscal year (FY) 2018. As a lead negotiator of the historic bipartisan infrastructure deal, Shaheen led bipartisan broadband negotiations with Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) and successfully secured $65 billion to support broadband affordability and deployment across the nation.

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May 28, 2023