October 03, 2016

Manchin Announces FCC Chairman Wheeler Visit To West Virginia

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) announced that Federal Communication Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler will travel to West Virginia on October 11.

“I am pleased that Chairman Wheeler has accepted my invitation to come see firsthand the real communication challenges facing West Virginia and our neighbors across rural America,” said Senator Manchin. “I am pleased that Chairman Wheeler has answered my call to move forward with the second phase of the Mobility Fund, and I am eager to show the Chairman the challenges our students, businesses and residents face due to their lack of access to reliable broadband service. I look forward to working with him to ensure that this program will increase investments in places like West Virginia that are some of the most remote and challenging areas to serve.”

This visit comes after a recent FCC staff report highlighted the need for the Mobility Fund, something that Senator Manchin has pushed for since becoming a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. In July, Senator Manchin sent a letter to Chairman Wheeler calling for the FCC to prioritize new mobile broadband deployment in rural areas as well as preserve and upgrade mobile broadband where it is currently available. To read the full letter, click here.

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