U.S. mayors join the call for universal high speed Internet

Recently the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) unanimously passed a resolution for high speed Internet deployment on a national level, calling on the Bush Administration, the U.S. Congress and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to work together to develop a policy that makes high speed Internet access a national priority.

Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and Miami Mayor Manny Diaz co-sponsored the resolution, which also called for measures to preserve the ability of local governments to provide high speed Internet services within their communities.

"In the 21st century economy, broadband is an essential service for everyone. Just as every resident wants high-quality, public transportation, water, sewer and other critical infrastructure, they also need to have access to an advanced digital infrastructure," said Mayor Richard M. Daley.

By framing the issue as a public utility on par with public transport, water, and sewage services, the mayors make a strong argument for all levels of government to work to bring high speed Internet to everyone. The mayors also emphasized the importance of high speed Internet to growth in the American economy.

Read all of the mayors' resolutions after the jump, and check out their entire statement here.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that if U.S. cities are to thrive as engines of economic growth and be globally competitive in the 21st Century, then the Administration, Congress and the FCC should take action now to develop a comprehensive national broadband policy that includes high speed broadband deployment to cities as an imperative; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the national broadband policy should support measures to preserve the ability of local governments to provide broadband capability and services within their
communities; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that said national broadband policy should ensure that the speed of Internet access available to American consumers, enterprises and institutions is comparable to that available in the most advanced industrialized nations; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that said national broadband policy should ensure that these high-speed Internet services are ubiquitous in availability to all American households in all neighborhoods; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that said national broadband policy should ensure that affordable high-speed Internet access is attainable for all American consumers and families; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that if American cities are to undertake appropriate and necessary broadband planning, the FCC should immediately begin collecting detailed information on broadband coverage and use and share said data with local governments as such information is a matter of public concern; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Administration, Congress and the FCC should work with local governments to facilitate an expansion of resources to speed the development of affordable globally competitive infrastructure in American cities.

Major Metro Cities, Mayors Call For National Broadband Action (City of Boston)

Calling for Federal Action on a National Broadband Policy (City of Boston)