YORK – Senator Kristin Phillips-Hill (R-York) was reappointed today to serve as a member of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Intergovernmental Advisory Committee (IAC) for a second two-year term.
According to the FCC, the IAC is comprised of elected and appointed officials of municipal, county, state, and Tribal governments and provides guidance, expertise, and recommendations to the Commission on a range of telecommunication issues. Phillips-Hill will serve as one of five state legislators across the country and one of three Pennsylvania officials on the IAC.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has thrust improving access to high-speed internet to the top of many priority lists,” Phillips-Hill said. “The information garnered and shared among members of the IAC has been instrumental in my role as the Senate Communications and Technology Committee chair.”
Last year, the committee embarked on a statewide tour to solicit feedback on how to connect more Pennsylvanians in unserved and underserved areas to high-speed internet. The committee released a report outlining a path forward, which included recommendations to identify funding opportunities, maximize existing assets and infrastructure and address regulatory barriers.
Since the release of the report, the committee has approved various measures in response to the committee’s recommendations – many of which are poised for action when the General Assembly reconvenes next month.
Phillips-Hill was originally appointed to a two-year term in August of 2018. She said this opportunity does not interfere with her legislative duties as a state senator.
“The people of York County come first. This exchange of ideas is imperative as we continue to see the demand for closing our digital divide growing stronger by the day during this coronavirus outbreak,” she added.
More information on the FCC IAC can be found here.