The following statement is attributed to Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, Consumer Technology Association (CTA), regarding the Streamlining Permitting to Enable Efficient Deployment of Broadband Infrastructure (SPEED) Act, introduced by Sens. Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV):

   "We applaud Sens. Wicker and Cortez Masto for introducing a bipartisan bill that helps streamline the deployment of next-gen broadband in areas with previous federal approval. Connectivity is one of the driving trends of our time, and this is a key step in enabling the anytime/anywhere access to information, friends and families that consumers want. By removing duplicative, needless steps to build broadband infrastructures, communities will have quicker access to the technology that is improving  lives and empowering businesses.

    "Ubiquitous connectivity is essential to a strong U.S. economy - creating jobs through smart cities, specialized manufacturing, data analysis and more - and we cannot delay in building new, state-of-the-art broadband networks. We look forward to working with Congress to pass this bill and better meet the needs of consumers and businesses, strengthen our digital economy and secure our more connected future."