"Following Trump's May 2025 declaration that he would be ending digital equity grants, states quickly received letters informing them their grants had been terminated, while the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which administered the program, quickly scrubbed references to the program from its website. That decision prompted a furious reaction from advocates, who filed a lawsuit in October looking to reinstate those grants."
"“We cannot declare victory by counting miles of fiber made or dollars spent,” Federal Communications Commission Commissioner Anna Gomez said. “True progress means asking whether people are actually online, whether they have the skills to navigate the digital economy, whether they can access telehealth, apply for jobs, help their kids with homework and participate fully in modern life. If we only measure deployment, we will build a lot of digital bridges to nowhere and leave a lot of people behind.”"
"Twelve months on, a coalition of lawmakers, nonprofits and other advocates are pledging to fight back, restore funding and prevent similar rescissions in the future, even though the odds are stacked against them. And they promised to continue their fight in the courts. The press conference marked the official start of what organizers - including the National Digital Inclusion Alliance - billed as a “DEA Month of Action.”"
President Donald Trump ended digital equity grants, calling them a racist and illegal giveaway. States received letters terminating their grants, and the administering agency removed references from its website. Advocates responded with a lawsuit filed in October to reinstate the grants. A coalition of lawmakers, nonprofits, and advocates pledged to continue fighting in court and to restore funding. Federal Communications Commission Commissioner Anna Gomez emphasized that progress requires measuring whether people are actually online and have digital skills for telehealth, job applications, helping children with homework, and full participation in modern life. Organizers launched a “DEA Month of Action” to raise awareness of harms from the cancellations and to prevent similar rescissions in the future.
Read at Nextgov.com
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