2021 Adopted Resolutions

Ensuring Investment in Local Broadband Infrastructure to Equitably and Effectively Bridge the Digital Divide

Resolution Number: 85

WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the fore many of the long-standing social, economic, and racial disparities in American society; and

WHEREAS, these disparities are especially pronounced in the area of broadband Internet access and our nation's enduring digital divide; and

WHEREAS, in communities across the nation, the digital divide has been pronounced in the area of education as schools have closed and moved to online instruction and libraries have closed limiting their offerings to their digital collections; and

WHEREAS, in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the digital divide has also been pronounced in the area of telemedicine, particularly in medically underserved areas that most rely on telemedicine; and

WHEREAS, the digital divide is as much an issue of affordability as it is access to infrastructure and the digital divide and its related disparities manifest themselves throughout our nation, in metropolitan areas and rural areas; and

WHEREAS, mayors and other local government officials are committed to ensuring the digital infrastructure of tomorrow is safe, reliable, and accessible to all of the residents of their cities; and

WHEREAS, mayors and other local government officials have long advocated for universal access to reliable, high-speed broadband service - both wireline and wireless - as crucial for education, employment, economic development, and the provision of a variety of services necessary for success and progress in the 21st Century; and

WHEREAS, mayors and other local government officials recognize the increased importance of universal broadband access for education, health and business during the COVID-19 pandemic; and

WHEREAS, mayors and local government officials are facing dwindling revenue and increasing demand for municipal services as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; and

WHEREAS, municipal government oversight of 5G broadband deployment is critical to ensure it is safe, equitable, and fiscally prudent, and local government officials have the most direct understanding of the needs of their communities and understand how best to implement policies that affect their citizens; and

WHEREAS, a number of localities have negotiated and entered into agreements with wireless providers to deploy 5G broadband service in their communities, including provisions to bridge the digital divide; and

WHEREAS, some members of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Congress, and state legislatures have wrongly characterized the balancing act among competing interests for the public rights-of-way and maintenance of local authority as a barrier to 5G deployment and, instead, have put the interests of national corporations ahead of the needs of communities by imposing on municipalities a one-size-fits-all policy which preempts existing state and local policies,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that The United States Conference of Mayors calls on Congress, the FCC, and other federal agencies to increase efforts to leverage and otherwise use relief funding to address the digital divide; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that The United States Conference of Mayors urges Congress, the FCC, and other federal agencies to robustly fund and otherwise bolster federal efforts to address the digital divide and lay the groundwork for an equitable, robust, and resilient post-pandemic economy and society; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that The U.S. Congress should recognize that universal access to affordable broadband cannot be achieved through deregulation and preemption of the local authority, but will require partnerships and robust and dedicated federal funding to accelerate universal broadband deployment; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that The United States Conference of Mayors calls on Congress to pass legislation such as H.R. 1783, the Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act which would establish a 100 megabyte symmetry between upload and download speeds, prioritize unserved and underserved communities with clear definitions, and would award resources through competitive bidding for construction costs; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that The United States Conference of Mayors encourage evaluation measures, such as the collection and mapping of data with community-level perspectives, affordability metrics, and adoption rates to be built into any broadband legislation; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that The United States Conference of Mayors urges the flexibility of federal funding to include last mile infrastructure and adoption that would ensure equitable access to and administration of services related to internet connectivity, such as outreach and awareness, digital navigators to support communities facing barriers to connectivity, and digital literacy training to encourage use of internet access; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that The United States Conference of Mayors supports all efforts that provide flexibility to local governments to increase broadband access not only to those that lack a physical connection, but also to those that lack access due to affordability issues; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that The United States Conference of Mayors should oppose any new regulation or legislation that would limit, in any way, local government oversight and authority regarding the deployment of broadband in communities and the fees that local governments may impose on private commercial businesses installing permanent facilities on local public property.