Biden's infrastructure bill could help rural Pennsylvanians desperate for internet

About one in five Pennsylvania households doesn’t have a broadband internet subscription, with many rural counties having low coverage. Now broadband could get a historic investment through the infrastructure bill making its way through Congress. Pennsylvania could receive $100 million to expand broadband infrastructure and subsidize service and devices for families who have access but can’t afford it, such as low-income families in Philadelphia. In rural areas, the issue is also structural — there simply isn’t enough population density to incentivize setting up the pipes and towers needed. For many people living without high-speed internet in rural areas, broadband access isn’t a political issue; more money to get people online could significantly change lives. “The digital divide doesn’t care what party you’re in or what area of the country you live in,” said Amy Huffman, policy director at the National Digital Inclusion Alliance. “It impacts everyone and therefore it impacts all of our lawmakers, no matter what side of the aisle.” And while there’s some disagreement over how to expand broadband, there’s no disagreement about why it's important and needs to be funded.