Access to the internet is critical for both our children and our community, because universal broadband would expand markets, improve efficiency, and allow for critical access to all the educational and health care rewards that the internet has to offer. This is why I have sponsored several bills to guarantee that inner cities across America have equal access to high speed internet services.

I have also sponsored and passed legislation that would make it easier to offer loans to small high tech and telecom firms in underserved areas. This is intended to create the same kind of start up companies that have dominated other cities such as Seattle, San Jose and suburban Washington, DC. We as a nation must ensure that opportunities provided by advancements in technology are accessible to all citizens.

During my time in Congress, I have worked to make sure the internet is safe for children and that there are strong protections for identity theft. We must protect internet consumers from abuse.