President Biden is determined to make broadband spending part of his infrastructure bill

President Joe Biden continued to push the notion that connecting Americans to broadband internet should be classified as infrastructure ahead of a meeting with members of Congress to negotiate the administration’s recent infrastructure and jobs plan. “I’m prepared to negotiate as to the extent of my infrastructure project as well as how we pay for it in a serious conversation about to do that,” President Biden said. “I think everyone acknowledges that we need a significant increase in infrastructure, and it’s going to get down to what we call infrastructure.” He continued, “Some people don’t think—I’m not suggesting anyone here has that view—but there a lot of folks saying the fact that we have millions of people not able to drink because it’s coming through lead pipes, I think that’s infrastructure. I think broadband is infrastructure. It’s not just roads, highways, bridges, etc.”