SHLB Supports FCC’s Vote on K-12 and Libraries Cybersecurity Pilot
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Saskya Cabral
Marketing & PR Director
SHLB Supports FCC’s Vote on K-12 and Libraries Cybersecurity Pilot
Washington, D.C. (May 16, 2024) - Today, the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition, the leading advocate for open, affordable broadband access for community anchor institutions, expressed support for the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) draft Order setting out the rules for a three-year, $200 million pilot program for cybersecurity for schools and libraries. The FCC plans to vote on this Order at its June 6 Open Commission meeting.
“While we had hoped for a shortened pilot duration (to eighteen months) so that the program could inform cyber-solutions for the next E-Rate category two budget cycle, we are pleased that the FCC is moving forward with a vote on the pilot. The need for schools and libraries to enhance their cybersecurity protections is urgent, and we are a bit disappointed that the FCC did not make funding for advanced firewalls available immediately. Many SHLB members have first-hand knowledge about how devastating cyberattacks can be, not only for school and library networks, but for the students, parents, teachers, and administrative staff whose personal information might be compromised,” said Kristen Corra, Policy Counsel for SHLB. “Nonetheless, we look forward to learning from the data gathered through the pilot and to continuing collaboration with the FCC to protect our nation’s vulnerable institutions facing sophisticated cyberattacks.”
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About SHLB:
The SHLB Coalition is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) advocacy organization that supports open, affordable, high-quality broadband connections for anchor institutions and their surrounding communities. The SHLB Coalition is based in Washington, D.C. and has a diverse membership of commercial and non-commercial organizations from across the United States. To learn more, visit www.shlb.org.