FCC Chairman Brendan Carr pushed a controversial rewrite of the $2 B‑a‑year E‑Rate program at a Washington hearing. Carr argued that rising screen time—over half of students now face four hours a day—has outgrown the program’s original purpose of basic internet access for schools and libraries. He asked the public for input.

Carr’s proposal, filed as a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, opens a debate over whether E‑Rate should be limited or sunset. The draft questions whether Congress intended the program to run indefinitely as connectivity has expanded. Critics argue that ending the program would undermine digital equity for low‑income and rural students across schools and libraries today.

Opponents, including Senator Ed Markey and the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition, label the move a backlash against federal support that has connected over 100,000 schools and 11,000 libraries nationwide. They warn that cutting E‑Rate would reverse three decades of progress and widen the digital divide that fuels economic competition for future generations today.

Legal challenges are likely as the FCC’s draft claims the program’s original goal is obsolete. Advocates argue the agency oversteps congressional authority, noting that E‑Rate is funded by telecom fees passed on to consumers. The final decision could arrive in months, but courts may halt a sunset that threatens essential connectivity for students and libraries.