Austin News

U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz, along with 13 Republican colleagues, has introduced a resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act. The resolution aims to nullify an FCC order from the Biden administration that expands the Universal Service Fund (USF) to subsidize Wi-Fi hotspots for schoolchildren's off-campus use.

The order, which was opposed by then-Commissioner Brendan Carr and Commissioner Nathan Simington, is seen as an overreach of the FCC's mandate. It allegedly violates federal law by extending beyond "classrooms" as defined in the Communications Act. Concerns have been raised about children's online safety and parental rights due to unsupervised internet access through these hotspots.

The FCC does not require schools to obtain parental consent before distributing these federally-subsidized hotspots. Critics argue this undermines parents' control over their children's internet content access and could lead to censorship of conservative viewpoints.

Additionally, there are concerns about potential tax increases on American families, given that the USF contribution factor is at a high of 36%. The order lacks limits on federal spending for hotspots and mean-testing for targeting children without home internet access. This could strain the USF and increase risks of waste and fraud.

Senator Cruz stated, "Every parent of a young child or teenager either worries about, or knows first-hand, the real dangers of the internet. The government shouldn’t be complicit in harming students or impeding parents’ ability to decide what their kids see by subsidizing unsupervised access to inappropriate content."

Co-sponsors of this resolution include Senators John Thune (R-S.D.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), John Curtis (R-Utah), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.).

In recent years, Senator Cruz has actively worked on initiatives aimed at protecting children online while ensuring parents can manage their children's internet exposure. This includes filing an amicus brief against funding Wi-Fi on school buses and introducing legislation requiring schools receiving federal broadband funding to block distracting social media apps.

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