More than 100 congressional Democrats are urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to withdraw a proposal that could eliminate the E-Rate program or limit its funding to serve only rural communities, warning that the changes would increase internet costs for schools and libraries nationwide.
Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., author of the E-Rate program, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., along with Reps. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., Rob Menendez, D-N.J., and Grace Meng, D-N.Y., led 111 lawmakers in calling on FCC Chairman Brendan Carr to preserve the program.
The lawmakers said E-Rate, which has provided more than $69 billion in connectivity support since its creation, helped more than 158,000 schools and libraries cover broadband bills, expand bandwidth, maintain internal Wi-Fi networks, and replace aging infrastructure in 2025.
“The Commission should abandon these proposals and preserve E-Rate as the universal program that Congress intended,” the lawmakers wrote in their letter to Carr.
Congress established E-Rate in 1996 through the Telecommunications Act to make internet and telecommunications services more affordable for eligible schools and libraries. The program operates through the Universal Service Fund and provides discounts ranging from 20% to 90% based on poverty levels and whether an institution serves a rural or urban community.
The FCC voted in June to examine the program as part of a broader rulemaking on children’s screen time, internet access, and the use of E-Rate funding. The proceeding raised questions about whether the program should continue in its current form or restrict support to rural communities.
The FCC began accepting public comments on Aug. 14, asking whether E-Rate should be eliminated, restricted to rural areas, or limited to communities served by a single internet provider. Initial comments were due Oct. 13, and reply comments are due Nov. 12.
The FCC has said its review aims to ensure E-Rate funding supports educational purposes, addresses concerns about excessive screen time, strengthens program integrity, and avoids duplicating other federal broadband investments.
However, the lawmakers argue that restricting funding to rural communities would undermine E-Rate’s mission of providing affordable connectivity regardless of geography.
“There is no reason that a low-income rural school should receive E-Rate support while a similar, low-income urban school should be categorically ineligible for the program,” the lawmakers wrote.
They noted that E-Rate already accounts for rural status and poverty levels when determining funding discounts. Eliminating support for urban and suburban communities could force schools and libraries to redirect money from instruction, staffing, and other services to maintain internet connectivity, they warned.
The lawmakers also rejected the FCC’s connection between broadband funding and concerns about children’s screen time.
“But cutting E-Rate is not a child-safety measure,” they wrote. “E-Rate funds broadband connectivity” they observed, and noted that recipients must already comply with the Children’s Internet Protection Act, which requires internet filtering, safety policies, and other protections.
In the letter, the lawmakers said states and local school districts are better positioned to address screen time through targeted policies governing student device use rather than reductions in broadband support.
The letter also pointed to previous FCC decisions that reduced E-Rate support. In September 2025, the commission eliminated funding for school and library Wi-Fi hotspot lending programs and reversed its decision to support Wi-Fi service on school buses.
In April 2026, the FCC adopted a new competitive bidding portal for E-Rate, which the lawmakers said would create additional administrative burdens for participating schools and libraries.
Beyond educational access, the lawmakers warned that eliminating or reducing the program could affect the nation’s technology workforce by limiting opportunities for students to develop skills in artificial intelligence, engineering, and cybersecurity.
“Maintaining connectivity in every school and library is therefore an investment in America’s technological leadership, economic competitiveness, and national security,” they wrote.
The rulemaking remains open for reply comments through Nov. 12.