S. 3690: Emergency Educational Connections Act of 2020

116th Congress · introduced 2020-05-12 · Science, Technology, Communications · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-05-12 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Emergency Educational Connections Act of 2020

Plain summary

Emergency Educational Connections Act of 2020 This bill establishes and provides funding for the Emergency Connectivity Fund, from which the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) must provide support for certain schools or libraries to purchase specified telecommunications equipment during the public health emergency declared because of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, the FCC shall provide funds to certain elementary schools, secondary schools, or libraries to purchase telecommunications equipment or services (e.g., Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, and routers) for use by students, staff, or patrons at locations that include locations other than the schools or libraries. Priority must be given to students, staff, or patrons who do not have access to such equipment or services. Following the emergency period, funding recipients are authorized to use purchased equipment for appropriate purposes but may not sell or transfer such equipment for anything of value, except for upgraded equipment of the same type.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Emergency Educational Connections Act of 2020

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] · 45 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Michael F. Bennet (D-CO), Margaret Wood Hassan (D-NH), Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Cory A. Booker (D-NJ), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY), Angus S. King, Jr. (I-ME), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Christopher Murphy (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Jack Reed (D-RI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Gary C. Peters (D-MI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Christopher A. Coons (D-DE), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] reported raising $6.0 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116s3690.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>

Record fed-us-cong116-s3690 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116