Competency #5: Engage in Policy Practice
PRACTICE BEHAVIORS:
*5A: Advocate with and inform stakeholders to impact policy change: During my academic year and practicum, I was challenged with the lack of internet service where I currently reside. Multiple times I was making an office in my vehicle and parking outside a neighbors home, just to have internet service for work and school. I was unable to relocate inside anyone’s home due to being placed under quarantine for the COVID-19 exposure. I was able to utilize theories of discomfort and forecasting my future regarding my ability to continue my masters program or even have the access to work remotely. Multiple calls were made to Representative Morgan Griffith for the state of Virginia. Although I was not able to speak with him directly, I did receive a response by email in April 2021. Currently as of July 2021, fiber optic/Broadband internet is being placed in my area and more access to the internet will be available within the next two months.
The letter below:
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| April 13, 2021
Dear Ms. Kriger, Thank you for contacting me regarding broadband. I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts. As many of us have experienced firsthand during the Coronavirus pandemic, broadband internet access plays an important role in daily life. Reliable broadband service is a critical tool that supports businesses and education, while also helping us maintain connections with loved ones and friends. For rural areas like much of the Ninth District, broadband not only aids in everyday activities, such as schoolwork, but also offers access to services like telemedicine. As you know, there are many families and businesses in rural areas of the country like ours who need access to fast and reliable broadband. A speedy and reliable connection is also an important quality of life indicator when people and employers consider relocating, just as the quality of schools or presence of cultural amenities are. As a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over electronic communications and the internet, I am proud of the work we have done to reduce barriers for deploying broadband, streamline the process of applying for federal grants, facilitate coordination of federal resources, and promote the deployment of broadband in agricultural areas. In the 116th Congress, I cosponsored the Broadband DATA Act (H.R. 4229) which passed the House of Representatives on December 16, 2019. After resolving differences with the Senate, a similar bill (S. 1822) was signed into law on March 23, 2020. This law requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to issue new rules to require the collection and dissemination of granular broadband availability data and to establish a process to verify the accuracy of such data, among other things. On February 16, 2021, I introduced the Barriers and Regulatory Obstacles Avoids Deployment of Broadband Access and Needs Deregulatory (BROADBAND) Leadership Act (H.R. 1051). This legislation would streamline permitting processes for telecommunications service providers by preserving state and local zoning authority subject to reasonable limitations, such as shot clocks and cost-based fees, to ensure providers receive an answer on their application in a timely manner. I am also excited about various technological innovations such as low earth orbit satellites and TV white space broadband, such as Starlink™ by SpaceX, most of which are uniquely suited for rural areas like ours. I will continue to look for ways to support innovative technologies like these that will play an important role in connecting some of the most rural and hard to reach areas. I am eager to see additional broadband related legislation move through the Energy and Commerce Committee to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, and onto the President’s desk. Quality broadband Internet access expands the horizons of commerce, agriculture, health, and numerous other aspects of modern life, but the digital divide limits too much of the country. Please know that I will keep your thoughts in mind should I have the opportunity to vote on broadband policies in the House of Representatives. For more information on what is happening in Congress, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov. If I may be of further assistance to you on this, or any other issue, please feel free to contact me in my Washington, DC office at (202) 225-3861. I remain
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*5B: Develop and implement a policy and/or advocacy plan: Competency five has been an ongoing research, thinking, and developing a plan for social media and how it is affecting our youth. I now state this is my five-year goal to have something not only to be utilized in the company but in every state. I realize obtaining this goal in less than five years is not attainable. However, I have enjoyed learning and receiving the support from the staff and my task supervisor for understanding my passion about this topic. During the academic year I was able to contact my local representative for the state of Virginia. Although I was not able to speak with Morgan Griffith directly, I was able to contact his secretary ad speak to him directly. In lieu of receiving a returned call, I was provided with the email and letter below.
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| July 23, 2021
Dear Ms. Cregger, Thank you for contacting me regarding regulation of the internet. I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts. Social media occupies a prominent place in modern America. Twitter and Facebook rank among some of the most powerful companies on the planet. That power raises questions. Under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (CDA), online service providers like these social media companies are broadly protected from liability for transmitting or taking down content generated by third-party users on their platforms. Because of this broad provision, many believe that these companies must be held to a higher accountability standard for content they host. On June 17, 2020, after a ten-month review process and in response to concerns about the scope of Section 230 immunity as it is currently applied, the Department of Justice (DOJ) released a set of reform proposals to update Section 230 of the CDA. As a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over the internet, I will hopefully have an opportunity to review policies that would amend Section 230 before it reaches the House floor. In 2018, while Republicans held the House majority, I participated in two Energy and Commerce Committee hearings featuring executives of social media companies – Facebook and Twitter. I had a lot to ask both of these executives: about free speech, censorship, illegal activity, privacy, and many other pressing issues. Many Americans suspect that these companies, which are widely used by people of all beliefs, treat certain perspectives unfairly and fail to explain what constitutes permissible content. I encouraged Mr. Zuckerberg and Mr. Dorsey to take these concerns seriously. I believe the social media companies have ways to address these concerns; if they don’t, government action and regulation may be unavoidable. Government regulation in general is heavy-handed and less responsive to the facts on the ground. However, it is becoming increasingly clearer that Congress needs to review the broad provisions included in Section 230. One of the major questions is going to be are these social media outlets platforms, publishers, or a hybrid of the two. Please know that I will keep your thoughts in mind when I have an opportunity to review legislation that would modify Section 230 or otherwise impact the regulation of online content. For more information on what is happening in Congress, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov. If I may be of further assistance to you on this, or any other issue, please feel free to contact me in my Washington, DC office at (202) 225-3861. I remain
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