WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a March 23 press release, U.S. Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) applauded President Barack Obama’s administration for launching a Broadband Opportunity Council. The Council will be tasked with bringing together federal agencies to survey and report back on existing programs that currently support or could be modified to support broadband competition, deployment or adoption.

"Access to high-speed broadband drives economic growth and opens new doors of opportunity. And in a rural state like Maine, ensuring that schools, businesses, and homes are connected to next-generation broadband is crucial to their success," King said in the release. "The president's Broadband Opportunity Council will help prioritize the expansion of next-generation broadband and make it more accessible by removing the regulatory obstacles standing in its way. I look forward to working with the Council to promote a smarter, more streamlined, and coordinated federal approach to broadband deployment and adoption in Maine and across the country."

Monday, in a blog post titled FACT SHEET: Next Steps in Delivering Fast, Affordable Broadband, the Obama Administration announced the creation of a Broadband Opportunity Council, which will be tasked with coordinating the policy objectives of more than 25 different government agencies to:

· Engage with industry and other stakeholders to understand ways the government can better support the needs of communities seeking broadband investment;

· Identify regulatory barriers unduly impeding broadband deployment or competition;

· Survey and report back on existing programs that currently support or could be modified to support broadband competition, deployment or adoption; and

· Take all necessary actions to remove these barriers and re-align existing programs to increase broadband competition, deployment, and adoption.

The Council will report back to the President, within 150 days, with the steps each agency will take to advance these goals, including specific regulatory actions or budget proposals.

It was also announced that in June, the White House will host the Community Broadband Summit, “to carry forward the momentum, help communities leaders learn from one another, and report out the progress of our broadband initiatives.”