Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo on Federal Broadband Infrastructure Funding: Maps Before Money

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo spelled out the Biden Administration's ambitious goals for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act's $65 billion investment in broadband at a February 1 Senate Appropriations Commerce Subcommittee hearing. This investment, according to Raimondo, will depend on the Federal Communications Commission's progress in coming up with better broadband availability maps. Subcommittee Chair Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) shared a common concern of both Democrats and Republicans over handing out those billions: The FCC's underwhelming maps showing where broadband currently is and isn't. She said that previous maps have not been accurate and not shown where the dead spots are, and asked Raimondo to talk about where the FCC was in updating those maps. Raimondo agreed that the maps are vital, and, for those concerned about "overbuilding," like Sen Jerry Moran (R-KS), she said the explicit mission "is to prioritize unserved." Raimondo said the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) can't deploy any of the money included in the Infrastructure Act without accurate maps. While she reiterated that it was the purview of the FCC, Raimondo said she is in "constant communication" with the FCC, including personal meetings with FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. The Commerce secretary said that the FCC has indicated that by summer they expect to have the improved maps, which will now include data drilling down to the household instead of going by census tract.