The Big Story: Congress, FCC take steps to narrow the “digital divide” amid pandemic. As millions of Americans continue to depend upon reliable Internet services to work, learn, and connect amid the ongoing pandemic, policymakers are moving to address gaps in high-speed connectivity and broadband infrastructure across the United States. The issue of broadband access was in the spotlight this week as the Federal Communications Commission and a top House panel both took steps to improve connectivity and identify areas of the country where access is still lagging.

The Big Story: Net neutrality back in the spotlight as DOJ drops California suit. The U.S. Department of Justice this week dropped its challenge to California’s 2018 net neutrality law, removing one of the major roadblocks to its implementation. The law—which would have reinstated the net neutrality protections in the state of California—was signed by then-Governor Jerry Brown after the Federal Communications Commission repealed the net neutrality protections at the end of 2017. In a statement following DOJ’s announcement, FCC Acting Chair Jessica Rosenworcel said “[b]y taking this step, Washington is listening to the American people, who overwhelmingly support an open Internet, and is charting a course to once again make net neutrality the law of the land.”