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Broadband Infrastructure Funding: What Should The Plans Be?
The Internet has become essential for Americans as they participate in commerce, culture and democracy. The Internet and the Internet of Things is rapidly becoming an important part of how our cities and transportation networks operate. Increasingly rural communities are incorporating Internet-enabled technologies into their communities and lifestyles. The possibilities seem endless.

Do the Trump Administration’s impending infrastructure plans and tax plans include approaches to increasing Internet access and Internet-enabled technologies in America? If so, how and for whom? And what types of technologies? What about rural and low-income Americans? As we wait for more detailed proposals from the Administration and from the FCC we’ve assembled a panel of experts to explore the possibilities and challenges for expanding Internet access and for incorporating the Internet of tomorrow into the American way of life. Join us.

Date: Friday, May 12, 2017
Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Location: Rayburn House Office Building Room 2226
Lunch: Box lunch will be served.
Follow: @NetCaucusAC | #$4broadband

If you missed Friday’s Net Neutrality debate between Sarah Morris (OTI), Matt Murchison, Gigi Sohn, and Berin Szoka (TechFreedom) you’re in luck. This is the most fascinating Net Neutrality debate since the new Administration took over. Watch the video for this in-depth point-counterpoint discussion before a Congressional audience.

SPEAKERS

• Sarah Morris, Open Technology Institute
• Matthew Murchison, Latham & Watkins
• Gigi B. Sohn, Open Society Foundations
• Berin Szoka, President, TechFreedom

On Monday and Tuesday, April 3-4, the Internet Education Foundation was proud to host two days of programming as part of #HouseOfCode, a celebration of the 2016 Congressional App Challenge winners.

On Monday, April 3, the #HouseOfCode events kicked off with a Welcome Reception hosted by Amazon Web Services.The American Libraries Association, the US Patent And Trade Office, MentorMint, and AWS Educate set up booths and shared information about their programs with the students. Rhianon Anderson, Executive Director of the Congressional App Challenge, and Shannon Kellogg, Director of Public Policy for the Americas gave remarks to more than 150 students and their families.

The 2016 CAC winners started Tuesday, April 4 by attending “Computer Science, Coding, and Beyond: Career Options in the Tech Community,” a program hosted by Microsoft at their Innovation and Policy Center.

Allyson Knox, Microsoft’s Director of Education Policy, welcomed the students and introduced keynote speaker Representative Suzan DelBene. The Congresswoman spoke to the students about her experience working in both tech and policy realms, and encouraged them to make a difference in the world by pursuing their passions. The Congresswoman’s speech was followed by a panel of tech professionals, moderated by Austin Carson (Executive Director, TechFreedom), and featuring panelists Rachel Bittner (Engineer, Spotify), Clara Tsao (Presidential Innovation Fellow), and Matt Legend (CEO of Legend). (Check out the video, here! Skip ahead to the 22 minute mark to get to the programming.) After leaving Microsoft, the students and their families headed to Capitol Hill to visit the Capitol Building display that features the CAC-winning apps.

The programming culminated with #HouseOfCode, a Demo Day and Reception held in the Rayburn Foyer on Capitol Hill (generously sponsored by Intel), where the students presented the incredible apps that won their district’s Congressional App Challenge. #HouseOfCode featured students from 51 Congressional Districts and 22 states. 37 Members of Congress attended, in support of their students and the Congressional App Challenge.

Over 500 supporters of computer science education attended #HouseOfCode in total. Guests heard remarks from the CAC Executive Director, the Congressional Internet Caucus Co-Chairs, and several of the past, present and future CAC Congressional Co-Chairs. Reps. Ed Royce and Seth Moulton announced their successors: Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-27) and Rep. Tim Ryan (OH-13) will serve as the co-chairs of the 2017 Congressional App Challenge! The speakers included:

• Rhianon Anderson, Executive Director, Congressional App Challenge
• Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08), 2015 CAC Co-Chair
• Rep. Bob Goodlatte (VA-06), Co-Chair of the Internet Caucus and the inaugural CAC
• Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (CA-18), Co-Chair of the Internet Caucus, and the inaugural CAC
• Marcelino Ford-Livene, General Manager of Corporate Affairs, Intel
• Rep. Ed Royce (CA-39), 2016 CAC Co-Chair
• Rep. Seth Moulton (MA-06), 2016 CAC Co-Chair
• Rep. Tim Ryan (OH-13), 2017 CAC Co-Chair

In less than two years, the Congressional App Challenge has reached nearly 4,000 students in 33 states. Congressional offices have hosted 239 successful challenges, and received the submission of nearly 1200 original, student-coded apps. The success of the Congressional App Challenge has been made possible thanks to the widespread bipartisan congressional support for the program, and thanks to the generosity of our sponsors and partners.

Thank you to all who supported #HouseOfCode and the Congressional App Challenge!