Democrats Eye Biden-Era Broadband Agenda

Top House Democrats outlined aspirations to tackle broadband issues in 2021 under what they hope is President Joe Biden. “I promise you all we will restore net neutrality and make our broadband networks more competitive,” said Rep. Mike Doyle (D-PA), who chairs the House telecom subcommittee and envisions continuing to do so. If President Donald Trump wins re-election, the digital divide will widen, Chairman Doyle added. (The current GOP-led Federal Communications Commission and White House say the US is making headway on broadband deployment, and FCC Chair Ajit Pai noted massive broadband subsidies and airwave auctioning set to move in the final months of 2020.) And House Democratic Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC) predicted broadband “will absolutely be a top priority next year,” saying that anything Congress does this year will be “insufficient” and “stopgap.” The lawmaker, who heads a broadband task force, also anticipates bipartisan support in these efforts. Broadband will be crucial to tackle the coronavirus and a prerequisite for proper contact tracing, he said.