Carr Joins Senator Sullivan in Alaska with Broadband Officials
Events Focus on Expanding Connectivity, Telehealth, Workforce, and New Federal Programs
ANCHORAGE, AK, August 9, 2022—Today, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr joins Senator Dan Sullivan in Anchorage for the Alaska Broadband Summit + Workshop.  The event brings together federal, state, and local officials, and will feature remarks by Senator Sullivan, Senator Lisa Murkowski, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy, Carr and fellow FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, Alan Davidson, USDA Assistant Administrator Laurel Leverrier, and Alaska Native community representatives.  The summit is co-hosted by Senator Sullivan, NTIA, the Alaska Municipal League (AML), and the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN).  
During the summit, Carr will discuss the importance of coordinating broadband programs across government, the FCC’s forthcoming broadband maps, and opportunities to connect hardworking Alaskans with good paying jobs in the telecom workforce. 
Tomorrow, Carr will travel by boat with Senator Sullivan, Commissioner Simington, Assistant Secretary Davidson, and Assistant Administrator Leverrier to the Yukon-Kuskokwim river delta region.  There, they will see firsthand the challenges that come with expanding connectivity in Alaska and the opportunities that high-speed service can bring to rural, remote, and frontier communities.
On Thursday, Carr will close out the trip by visiting Matanuska Valley where he will see how the FCC’s Alaska Plan is delivering new high-speed connections to residents.  Next, he will visit a health care facility using FCC funding to deliver high-quality care to remote Tribal areas via telehealth.  Finally, he will visit a small business that is helping to expand the telecom workforce before wrapping up the trip by stopping at a local broadcast station. 
Commissioner Carr issued the following statement:
“It is great to be back in Alaska.  Senator Sullivan has been a strong leader for ensuring that every corner of The Last Frontier benefits from the opportunities provided by a high-speed Internet connection.  That is no easy task given Alaska’s unique terrain and the vast distances between population centers.  But it is a federal obligation that we must meet.  One of the keys will be the proper implementation of new federal broadband programs.  That is why I applaud Senator Sullivan for hosting this summit and welcoming federal and state broadband officials to Alaska.  Bringing this group of stakeholders together to see firsthand the challenges that come with ending the digital divide in Alaska will go a long way to ensuring that the government delivers on its obligation to Alaskan families.”
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Office of Commissioner Brendan Carr Media Contact:  Greg Watson www.fcc.gov/about/leadership/brendan-carr (202) 418-0658 or greg.watson@fcc.gov