JARED HUFFMAN WASHINGTON OFFICE 2ND DISTRICT, CALIFORNIA 1406 LONGWORTH House OFFICE BUILD NG WASHINGTON, DC 20515 PHONE : 1202) 225-5161 COMMITTEE ON FAX: 1202) 225-5163 NATURAL RESOURCES WATER, POWER, AND OCEANS - RANKING MEMBER cteongress of tbe Wniteb ~tates WEBSITE: huffman.house.gov FEDERAL LANDS T!}ou~e of l\epre~entattbe~ COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE HIGHWAYS AND TRANSIT Ua!ibington. 1.D<IC 20515-0502 WATER RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT 808 October 23 , 2018 The Honorable Ajit Pai, Chairman Federal Communications Commission 445 12th Street, SW Washington, DC 20554 Dear Chairman Pai, I would like to bring to your attention the concerns raised by roughly 1000 of my constituents regarding a forbearance petition filed with the FCC by USTelecom (WC Docket No. 18-141). The petition would impact provisions of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 that enable competition for telecommunications and broadband services. The letters that my constituents submitted to the FCC regarding the petition illustrate the importance of alternative competitive providers in the telecommunications marketplace. These competitive providers leverage existing infrastructure and invest in local markets, which in turn ensures that communities like those in my district have choices when it comes to telecommunications and broadband. Additionally, this competitive market pressure keeps services at affordable prices and encourages innovation and broadband deployment, especially in more rural or remote locations. Many of my constituents live in areas where online access to services such as e-commerce, healthcare, and education is limited. Their letters highlight the importance of a competitive telecommunications marketplace in reducing the digital divide and ensuring that all Americans can access the internet, and I ask that their comments be carefully considered as you review the petition. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, ff ed Huffinan SAN RAFAEL PETALUMA UKIAH FORT BRAGG EUREKA 999 FIFTH AVENUE, SUITE 290 206 G STREET, #3 559 Low GAP ROAD 430 NORTH FRANKLIN STREET 317 THIRD STREET, SUITE 1 SAN RAFAEL, CA 94901 PETALUMA, CA 94952 UKIAH, CA 95482 P.O. Box 2208 EUREKA, CA 95501 PHONE: 1415) 258-9657 PHONE: 1707) 981-8967 PHONE & FAX: 1707) 671 - 7449 FORT BRAGG, CA 95437 PHONE: 1707) 407-3585 FAX: 1415) 258-9913 FAX: 1415) 258-9913 PHONE: 1707) 962-0933 FAX: 1707) 407- 3559 FAX: 1707) 962-0905 PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER