The Trump FCC has voted to kill two different programs that helped bring free Wi-Fi to school kids in underserved poor and rural U.S. communities.

It’s the latest casualty of an administration that has been taking a hatchet to FCC consumer protection and affordability initiatives, many of which were developed over decades – with popular bipartisan support.

The FCC under Brendan Carr on September 30 voted 2-1 to kill the programs, with Republican Olivia Trusty voting with Carr and Democrat Anna Gomez dissenting.

In 2023, the previous FCC expanded the agency’s Universal Service Fund's E-Rate program to help fund free Wi-Fi service on school buses. In 2024, the Biden FCC further expanded the program to help fund schools and libraries looking to lend out Wi-Fi hotspots and services that could be used off-premises by school kids that lacked affordable home broadband.

Both efforts were lauded for bridging the “homework gap,” making it easier and more affordable for kids in disconnected areas to keep up with homework. The expansions incurred no additional costs to taxpayers, leveraging existing USF funding. E-Rate spends about $2 billion annually and has a funding cap of roughly $5 billion.

Both Texas Senator Ted Cruz and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr spent most of 2025 trying to eliminate the programs. At one point, Cruz claimed, falsely, that the program was “censoring kids’ exposure to conservative viewpoints.” Carr, meanwhile, had tried to suggest the program created risks for kids due to unsupervised Internet use.

The Trump FCC has voted to kill two different programs that helped bring free Wi-Fi to school kids in underserved poor and rural U.S. communities.

It’s the latest casualty of an administration that has been taking a hatchet to FCC consumer protection and affordability initiatives, many of which were developed over decades – with popular bipartisan support.

The FCC under Brendan Carr on September 30 voted 2-1 to kill the programs, with Republican Olivia Trusty voting with Carr and Democrat Anna Gomez dissenting.

In 2023, the previous FCC expanded the agency’s Universal Service Fund's E-Rate program to help fund free Wi-Fi service on school buses. In 2024, the Biden FCC further expanded the program to help fund schools and libraries looking to lend out Wi-Fi hotspots and services that could be used off-premises by school kids that lacked affordable home broadband.

Both efforts were lauded for bridging the “homework gap,” making it easier and more affordable for kids in disconnected areas to keep up with homework. The expansions incurred no additional costs to taxpayers, leveraging existing USF funding. E-Rate spends about $2 billion annually and has a funding cap of roughly $5 billion.

Both Texas Senator Ted Cruz and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr spent most of 2025 trying to eliminate the programs. At one point, Cruz claimed, falsely, that the program was “censoring kids’ exposure to conservative viewpoints.” Carr, meanwhile, had tried to suggest the program created risks for kids due to unsupervised Internet use.

The Trump FCC has voted to kill two different programs that helped bring free Wi-Fi to school kids in underserved poor and rural U.S. communities.

It’s the latest casualty of an administration that has been taking a hatchet to FCC consumer protection and affordability initiatives, many of which were developed over decades – with popular bipartisan support.

The FCC under Brendan Carr on September 30 voted 2-1 to kill the programs, with Republican Olivia Trusty voting with Carr and Democrat Anna Gomez dissenting.

In 2023, the previous FCC expanded the agency’s Universal Service Fund's E-Rate program to help fund free Wi-Fi service on school buses. In 2024, the Biden FCC further expanded the program to help fund schools and libraries looking to lend out Wi-Fi hotspots and services that could be used off-premises by school kids that lacked affordable home broadband.

Both efforts were lauded for bridging the “homework gap,” making it easier and more affordable for kids in disconnected areas to keep up with homework. The expansions incurred no additional costs to taxpayers, leveraging existing USF funding. E-Rate spends about $2 billion annually and has a funding cap of roughly $5 billion.

Both Texas Senator Ted Cruz and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr spent most of 2025 trying to eliminate the programs. At one point, Cruz claimed, falsely, that the program was “censoring kids’ exposure to conservative viewpoints.” Carr, meanwhile, had tried to suggest the program created risks for kids due to unsupervised Internet use.

The Trump FCC has voted to kill two different programs that helped bring free Wi-Fi to school kids in underserved poor and rural U.S. communities.

It’s the latest casualty of an administration that has been taking a hatchet to FCC consumer protection and affordability initiatives, many of which were developed over decades – with popular bipartisan support.

The FCC under Brendan Carr on September 30 voted 2-1 to kill the programs, with Republican Olivia Trusty voting with Carr and Democrat Anna Gomez dissenting.

In 2023, the previous FCC expanded the agency’s Universal Service Fund's E-Rate program to help fund free Wi-Fi service on school buses. In 2024, the Biden FCC further expanded the program to help fund schools and libraries looking to lend out Wi-Fi hotspots and services that could be used off-premises by school kids that lacked affordable home broadband.

Both efforts were lauded for bridging the “homework gap,” making it easier and more affordable for kids in disconnected areas to keep up with homework. The expansions incurred no additional costs to taxpayers, leveraging existing USF funding. E-Rate spends about $2 billion annually and has a funding cap of roughly $5 billion.

Both Texas Senator Ted Cruz and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr spent most of 2025 trying to eliminate the programs. At one point, Cruz claimed, falsely, that the program was “censoring kids’ exposure to conservative viewpoints.” Carr, meanwhile, had tried to suggest the program created risks for kids due to unsupervised Internet use.

The Trump FCC has voted to kill two different programs that helped bring free Wi-Fi to school kids in underserved poor and rural U.S. communities.

It’s the latest casualty of an administration that has been taking a hatchet to FCC consumer protection and affordability initiatives, many of which were developed over decades – with popular bipartisan support.

The FCC under Brendan Carr on September 30 voted 2-1 to kill the programs, with Republican Olivia Trusty voting with Carr and Democrat Anna Gomez dissenting.

In 2023, the previous FCC expanded the agency’s Universal Service Fund's E-Rate program to help fund free Wi-Fi service on school buses. In 2024, the Biden FCC further expanded the program to help fund schools and libraries looking to lend out Wi-Fi hotspots and services that could be used off-premises by school kids that lacked affordable home broadband.

Both efforts were lauded for bridging the “homework gap,” making it easier and more affordable for kids in disconnected areas to keep up with homework. The expansions incurred no additional costs to taxpayers, leveraging existing USF funding. E-Rate spends about $2 billion annually and has a funding cap of roughly $5 billion.

Both Texas Senator Ted Cruz and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr spent most of 2025 trying to eliminate the programs. At one point, Cruz claimed, falsely, that the program was “censoring kids’ exposure to conservative viewpoints.” Carr, meanwhile, had tried to suggest the program created risks for kids due to unsupervised Internet use.

The Trump FCC has voted to kill two different programs that helped bring free Wi-Fi to school kids in underserved poor and rural U.S. communities.

It’s the latest casualty of an administration that has been taking a hatchet to FCC consumer protection and affordability initiatives, many of which were developed over decades – with popular bipartisan support.

The FCC under Brendan Carr on September 30 voted 2-1 to kill the programs, with Republican Olivia Trusty voting with Carr and Democrat Anna Gomez dissenting.

In 2023, the previous FCC expanded the agency’s Universal Service Fund's E-Rate program to help fund free Wi-Fi service on school buses. In 2024, the Biden FCC further expanded the program to help fund schools and libraries looking to lend out Wi-Fi hotspots and services that could be used off-premises by school kids that lacked affordable home broadband.

Both efforts were lauded for bridging the “homework gap,” making it easier and more affordable for kids in disconnected areas to keep up with homework. The expansions incurred no additional costs to taxpayers, leveraging existing USF funding. E-Rate spends about $2 billion annually and has a funding cap of roughly $5 billion.

Both Texas Senator Ted Cruz and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr spent most of 2025 trying to eliminate the programs. At one point, Cruz claimed, falsely, that the program was “censoring kids’ exposure to conservative viewpoints.” Carr, meanwhile, had tried to suggest the program created risks for kids due to unsupervised Internet use.

This week Wisconsin Public Radio aired a story that looked at the city of Superior, Wisconsin and its city-owned open access fiber network, known as ConnectSuperior.

Wisconsin Public Radio reporter Richelle Wilson not only spoke with city officials about how "the new network has been a game-changer for Superior," Wisconsin Public Radio also reached out to our Christopher Mitchell, Director of ILSR's Community Broadband Networks initiative.

Chris provided context and insight on how the rapidly changing federal policy landscape may or may not affect ConnectSuperior, how state preemption laws hinder communities in Wisconsin and some other states from duplicating Superior's success, and how tribes in Wisconsin have participated and benefited from a recent Tribal Broadband Bootcamp in the Upper Peninsula.

Listen to the Wisconsin Public Radio story here.

In addition to Wisconsin Public Radio's story on ConnectSuperior, you can check out our extensive coverage of ConnectSuperior here. 

Or, you can listen to ConnectSuperior Broadband Manager Stephanie Becken on our Community Broadband Bits podcast go more in-depth into the city’s quest to deliver affordable access to city residents below:

This week Wisconsin Public Radio aired a story that looked at the city of Superior, Wisconsin and its city-owned open access fiber network, known as ConnectSuperior.

Wisconsin Public Radio reporter Richelle Wilson not only spoke with city officials about how "the new network has been a game-changer for Superior," Wisconsin Public Radio also reached out to our Christopher Mitchell, Director of ILSR's Community Broadband Networks initiative.

Chris provided context and insight on how the rapidly changing federal policy landscape may or may not affect ConnectSuperior, how state preemption laws hinder communities in Wisconsin and some other states from duplicating Superior's success, and how tribes in Wisconsin have participated and benefited from a recent Tribal Broadband Bootcamp in the Upper Peninsula.

Listen to the Wisconsin Public Radio story here.

In addition to Wisconsin Public Radio's story on ConnectSuperior, you can check out our extensive coverage of ConnectSuperior here. 

Or, you can listen to ConnectSuperior Broadband Manager Stephanie Becken on our Community Broadband Bits podcast go more in-depth into the city’s quest to deliver affordable access to city residents below:

This week Wisconsin Public Radio aired a story that looked at the city of Superior, Wisconsin and its city-owned open access fiber network, known as ConnectSuperior.

Wisconsin Public Radio reporter Richelle Wilson not only spoke with city officials about how "the new network has been a game-changer for Superior," Wisconsin Public Radio also reached out to our Christopher Mitchell, Director of ILSR's Community Broadband Networks initiative.

Chris provided context and insight on how the rapidly changing federal policy landscape may or may not affect ConnectSuperior, how state preemption laws hinder communities in Wisconsin and some other states from duplicating Superior's success, and how tribes in Wisconsin have participated and benefited from a recent Tribal Broadband Bootcamp in the Upper Peninsula.

Listen to the Wisconsin Public Radio story here.

In addition to Wisconsin Public Radio's story on ConnectSuperior, you can check out our extensive coverage of ConnectSuperior here. 

Or, you can listen to ConnectSuperior Broadband Manager Stephanie Becken on our Community Broadband Bits podcast go more in-depth into the city’s quest to deliver affordable access to city residents below:

This week Wisconsin Public Radio aired a story that looked at the city of Superior, Wisconsin and its city-owned open access fiber network, known as ConnectSuperior.

Wisconsin Public Radio reporter Richelle Wilson not only spoke with city officials about how "the new network has been a game-changer for Superior," Wisconsin Public Radio also reached out to our Christopher Mitchell, Director of ILSR's Community Broadband Networks initiative.

Chris provided context and insight on how the rapidly changing federal policy landscape may or may not affect ConnectSuperior, how state preemption laws hinder communities in Wisconsin and some other states from duplicating Superior's success, and how tribes in Wisconsin have participated and benefited from a recent Tribal Broadband Bootcamp in the Upper Peninsula.

Listen to the Wisconsin Public Radio story here.

In addition to Wisconsin Public Radio's story on ConnectSuperior, you can check out our extensive coverage of ConnectSuperior here. 

Or, you can listen to ConnectSuperior Broadband Manager Stephanie Becken on our Community Broadband Bits podcast go more in-depth into the city’s quest to deliver affordable access to city residents below: