request on behalf of the NTIA and National Science Foundation to inform the development of a National Broadband Research Agenda. The letter, submitted on behalf of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights (of which NHMC is a member), detailed our past recommendations to the Broadband Opportunity Council to increase broadband adoption data collection, identify the specific benefits of universal broadband adoption, and to establish minimum standards for government benefits programs’ use of websites and online portals. In addition, the Leadership Conference urged the NTIA in its future research to: · Place a strong emphasis and additional granular data studying the reasons particular communities under-adopt broadband and the resulting socio-economic consequences · Provide resources for updating existing literature reviews of previous research, including a focus on local information needs and interviews or case studies · Emphasize the federal government’s critical role in existing census-based data collection, conduct and release an inventory of existing federal efforts and data sets, and develop best practices for federal programs. NHMC last year filed comments to President Obama’s multi-agency Broadband Opportunity Council, outlining support for Lifeline modernization, federal funding of broadband adoption efforts, refining the National Broadband Map, and research into the state of broadband completion, among other suggestions. Joining NHMC in signing the comments were the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, AFL-CIO, American Civil Liberties Union, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Common Cause, Communications Workers of America, NAACP, OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, and the United Church of Christ, OC Inc. To read the letter, click here.]]>
