Maria Cantwell - Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation | Official U.S. Senate headshot
Maria Cantwell - Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation | Official U.S. Senate headshot
U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Ted Cruz has taken a stand against the Biden administration's decision to expand the Federal Communication Commission's E-Rate program to fund Wi-Fi on school buses. Cruz led his colleagues in filing an amicus brief opposing the move, which aimed to subsidize children's access to social media sites like TikTok and Instagram during bus rides to and from school.
Cruz expressed his concerns, stating, "Addictive and distracting social media apps are wreaking havoc on our kids." He emphasized the dangers of unsupervised access to social media for children and labeled the FCC's decision as both dangerous and unlawful. The senator highlighted the importance of keeping kids safe and thanked his colleagues for supporting the effort.
The amicus brief filed by Cruz and his fellow senators argues that the FCC's decision goes beyond its statutory authority and extends a lapsed COVID-era program without congressional renewal. The senators believe that enabling children's unsupervised internet access through this ruling will ultimately harm them.
Joining Cruz in submitting the amicus brief are Sens. Marsha Blackburn, Mike Braun, Ted Budd, James Lankford, Cynthia Lummis, and Pete Ricketts.
The controversy stems from the FCC's initiative, led by Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, to expand the E-Rate program to include Wi-Fi hotspots on school buses and in students' and library patrons' homes. This move was met with opposition from Cruz and other lawmakers who argued that the agency was overstepping its authority.
Sen. Cruz has been proactive in addressing children's access to social media, introducing bipartisan legislation to limit such access in schools that receive E-Rate funding. While current regulations require schools to block harmful content, there is no provision mandating the blocking of distracting and addictive social media platforms.
In response to the FCC's ruling, concerned parents Matthew and Maurine Molak filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. The Molaks are advocates for online safety and against cyberbullying, as demonstrated through their foundation, David's Legacy Foundation.
The ongoing legal battle and legislative efforts underscore the importance of ensuring children's safety and well-being in the digital age.
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