Democrats in Congress are calling on the Federal Communications Commission to protect subsidies that help reduce the cost of Wi-Fi on school buses.

In a letter led by Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., the lawmakers argue against FCC Chair Brendan Carr, who said in a press release last month that the commission should end expansion of the E-Rate program, which provides discounts on Wi-Fi on buses and hot spots on school campuses.

"Rolling back the E-Rate hotspot and school bus decisions would undercut some of the most effective tools for addressing inequities in home connectivity and would reverse progress in closing the 'Homework Gap.' For millions of students, especially those from low-income households, internet access outside of school walls is not a luxury but a prerequisite for academic success," reads the letter, which was signed by Sens. Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico, Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, and Peter Welch of Vermont, and Rep. Grace Meng of New York, all Democrats.

The lawmakers argue that the E-Rate program has helped increase internet access and connectivity at schools and accused Carr of failing to provide adequate notice of the FCC's upcoming vote on the matter.

"Instead, you abruptly included them on an updated agenda released one week before the September open meeting, depriving members of the public of an opportunity to weigh in on the draft order. This non-transparent, last-minute process on such important matters is unacceptable. The Commission should remove these items from the meeting agenda and follow standard Commission protocol at a future open meeting," the letter adds.

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