In order to increase network coverage and improve Internet connectivity, Queens Congressman Meng Zhaowen held an online seminar with Jessica Rosenworcel, the first female chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and a number of New York state legislators on the 11th.
Meng stressed that legislators at all levels of government, from Queens to Greater New York, are working to strengthen connectivity to the web, and the seminar also focused on how to ensure that more people can connect to the web. She and Rosen Wösser had been working together to increase connectivity before the COVID-19 outbreak began. She said that access to the Internet has become an important part of everyone's life, and the Internet is also the cornerstone of the success of the 21st world, just as electricity was important to the 1930s. She began building affordable network connectivity projects before the outbreak began, and she has visited many parts of the country, some suburbs that are completely network deserts, where network costs are expensive, slow or have no network connection at all.
Meng Zhaowen and state Senator Edward J. Markey proposed the "SUCCESS" bill under the "American Rescue Program" to fight for more than 7 billion yuan in economic costs to support school and library network connections. She said that 17 million students across the United States lack home network connectivity, and as more and more teachers need students to do their homework and study through the Internet, the sudden shift to remote online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a sharp increase in the need and dependence on the Internet.
She will urge lawmakers to secure funding, resources to ensure that students have access to the Internet in schools and libraries, and to increase internet access to equipment and services.
Meng Zhaowen pointed out that the lack of network connectivity has become an obstacle for students to get an education, which is unacceptable. In addition to learning, network connectivity also plays an important role in employment, communication between relatives and friends, medical services and the economy.
Rosen Wössel, the first female chair of the FCC in its 100-year history, praised Ms. Meng and other lawmakers for considering the connectivity and affordability of the web.
Senators Leroy Comrie and Sean Ryan of New York, State Rep. Amy Paulin, Pamela Hunter, Rosa Lee, Pat Burke and others attended the workshop and emphasized the importance of networking for life, work and study.
Congressman Meng Zhaowen and FCC President Rosen Wössel and others held a seminar on network connectivity. (Screenshot of the meeting)