Despite the passage of the FCC’s National Broadband Plan one year ago, many Americans, particularly in minority and underserved communities, continue to be disconnected from the rest of the digital world. This is particularly relevant in today’s economy as the nation looks to broadband to save the millions of families who continue the struggle to rebuild their broken homes and dreams.
Winning the Future: A Policy Framework for Empowering Women with Broadband, a joint paper written by the National Foundation for Women Legislators (NFWL) and National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women (NOBEL/Women) was released as leaders of NFWL and NOBEL/Women along with representatives of Black Women Mayors Caucus, Women in Municipal Government, MANA – A National Latina Organization and the National Coalition for Black Civic Participation held a teleconference to discuss how to overcome digital barriers.
“America is at a point of crisis,” said Mayor Heather Hudson, a member of the Black Women Mayors Caucus. “Our children are under-educated as compared to their international peers. The U.S. unemployment rate is still shamefully high, especially for minorities. And as the job market becomes more competitive, more opportunities are going overseas.”
The NFWL-NOBEL/Women report outlines the major areas in which broadband can effectively change the lives of adopters; areas including family life and community engagement, healthcare, education and economic opportunity while proposing policy recommendations to the FCC.
In addition, the report asked that other local and state officials join in helping to maximize broadband’s benefits, particularly to women, families and children while warning against discriminatory taxation on wireless and digital goods.
As NFWL CEO and President Robin Read explained, “The report shows how policymakers at the local and state levels should caution against excessive and discriminatory taxes on wireless services and on wireless service providers because they potentially create disincentives to deploy and adopt new services in certain areas when tax rates become burdensome.”
The women leaders applauded the industry for its efforts in modernizing the broadband network, citing the development of the nation’s infrastructure as a catalyst for broadband growth in the U.S.
For more information on NFWL and/or NOBEL/Women or to read Winning the Future: A Policy Framework for Empowering Women with Broadband please visit http://www.womenlegislators.org or http://www.nobel-women.org
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