White House says infrastructure deal includes $65 billion for broadband
On Wednesday, bipartisan Senate negotiators reached a deal on an infrastructure package after weeks of tense discussion. The package includes billions in new funding, including more money to connect every household to high-speed broadband, according to the White House.
The Senate’s infrastructure package is expected to be around $1.2 trillion over the next eight years with around $559 billion in new spending. The White House sent out a press release Wednesday outlining what’s included in the bill, focusing on “hard” infrastructure issues like roads, bridges, EV charging, public transit, and high-speed broadband. Specifically, the package includes a $65 billion “investment ensuring every American has access to reliable high-speed internet,” according to the White House.
Telecom companies that receive this funding will be required to offer “low-cost affordable” internet plans to consumers along with easy ways to “comparison shop” amongst providers. Still, the bill text remains unwritten and it’s unclear how the new investment in broadband will be delegated.
The $65 billion figure is significantly lower than what President Joe Biden originally proposed last March. The administration’s initial goal was to pass $100 billion in broadband spending and include language that would prioritize networks affiliated with local governments, nonprofits, and cooperatives.
The White House also announced Wednesday that the package would include language from the Digital Equity Act that would create a permanent program to subsidize the cost of broadband for low-income families along with a new program to help pay for devices like laptops and tablets.
As the Senate moves to start voting on this package tonight, the agency in charge of broadband expansion, the Federal Communications Commission, is still without a permanent leader. Earlier this year, former FCC Chair Ajit Pai stepped down, leaving the agency deadlocked with two Republicans and two Democrats. Biden has yet to appoint a fifth commissioner or formally appoint a permanent chair.
On Wednesday, bipartisan Senate negotiators reached a deal on an infrastructure package after weeks of tense discussion. The package includes billions in new funding, including more money to connect every household to high-speed broadband, according to the White House. The Senate’s infrastructure package is expected to be around $1.2 trillion…
Recent Posts
- Netflix’s Cobra Kai season 6 will be a mega 15 episode epic released in 3 parts from July
- Laptops, graphics cards, and other PC components may soon be more expensive – and price hikes could get worse later this year
- Quordle today – hints and answers for Friday, May 3 (game #830)
- NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Friday, May 3 (game #61)
- Microsoft says it did a lot for responsible AI in inaugural transparency report
Archives
- May 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- December 2011