Congress passes budget bill – but how much will go to broadband?

Congress passed a budget bill on Feb. 9 – and President Trump signed it – that includes $20 billion for infrastructure initiatives over the next two fiscal years. Broadband is included among the infrastructure initiatives, but exactly how much of the $20 billion will go to closing the digital divide is unclear.

Last year, CWA President Chris Shelton wrote a letter to Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Chairman John Thune and Ranking Member Bill Nelson, as well as House Committee on Energy and Commerce Chairman Greg Walden and Ranking Member Frank Pallone, urging them to allocate $40 billion for broadband investment in order to create good jobs and economic opportunity for all Americans.

Links:

Budget Bill Includes Rural Broadband Bucks (Multichannel News, Feb. 9, 2018)

CWA urges Congress to prioritize broadband investment in infrastructure plan (Speed Matters, June 7, 2017)