Speaker Pelosi touts FCC broadband plan for its job-creation potential

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on Tuesday stressed the Federal Communications Commission's new report on broadband expansion could help spur "millions of new jobs."

While the Speaker did not signal specific support for any of the National Broadband Plan's many proposals, she nonetheless praised its overall aim to broaden access to high-speed Internet as necessary for economic growth. "The deployment of high-speed, broadband infrastructure from coast to coast will fuel the development of millions of new jobs here at home and global competitiveness for our nation," Speaker Pelosi said. She implored members to take action, stressing the plan "provides Congress with an opportunity to work with the FCC to make this goal a reality."

She later added those reforms would be essential to "ensuring that every American has access to affordable and robust broadband Internet service and the economic opportunities it creates." "Just as railroads and highways did in the past, broadband will dramatically increase the productivity and efficiency of our economy in the future and bring more Americans into an online global community and marketplace," she said.