Broadband Internet Is an Imperative, Not a Luxury

Imagine if we could put every area of America on an even playing field when it comes to high-speed internet. How much of an investment do we need? A Democratic proposal earlier this year committed $100 billion to an investment in digital infrastructure but was part of a COVID-related bill that did not make it into law. We need a bipartisan-supported law dedicated to digital infrastructure. I would argue that $100 billion is a good one-time investment to start. A dedicated act of Congress, focused on expanding access to our digital economy, would have three core elements: investment, public-private partnerships, and jobs. First, the federal government will have to put funds—like the Democrats’ proposed $100 billion—to work to support broadband access for rural and underserved communities. Second would be public-private partnerships to promote long-term investment by private-sector companies in network upgrades in rural and underserved communities. Finally, a good Digital Infrastructure Act would create strong incentives for telecommunications companies to support workforce training, especially in rural and underserved communities, to make sure we have the workers with the necessary skills to build and maintain our national digital highways.