Media Contact: 
Kate Black 202-418-2400
Kate.Black@fcc.gov

For Immediate Release

COMMISSIONER ROSENWORCEL RELEASES NEW BROADBAND CONVERSATIONS EPISODE FOCUSED ON CLOSING THE HOMEWORK GAP WITH CONGRESSWOMAN GRACE MENG 

WASHINGTON, February 27, 2020: Today, Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel released the latest episode of her podcast, Broadband Conversations. The podcast was created in 2018 to amplify the voices of leading women from across the technology, innovation, and media sectors. Today’s episode features New York Congresswoman Grace Meng. She is the first and only Asian-American member of Congress from the state of New York. She’s also the first female Congress member from Queens since former Vice-Presidential nominee Geraldine Ferraro.  In addition, Congresswoman Meng has been named as a member of House Majority Whip James Clyburn’s Rural Broadband Task Force. 

The episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Google Play, and the FCC. 

“We’ve got big problems to tackle when it comes to connecting everyone, everywhere. For me, the cruelest part of the digital divide is what I call the Homework Gap.  As many as 12 million children from rural, urban, and suburban communities fall into the Homework Gap because they go home at night to households without broadband access. That makes it tough to get regular schoolwork done because in the digital age schools everywhere are assigning homework that requires internet service.  Listeners will hear the Congresswoman discuss her bill to create lending programs at libraries and schools for mobile hotspots for students. If we’re going to close the Homework Gap, I’m glad we have women like Congresswoman Meng who are developing creative solutions to some of our toughest challenges.”


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Office of Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel: (202) 418-2400
Twitter: @JRosenworcel
www.fcc.gov/leadership/jessica-rosenworcel

This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action.  Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action.  See MCI v. FCC, 515 F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974).