Spanning the Digital Divide

As incoming Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, I’m making the case that broadband needs to be at the center of any infrastructure or relief package Congress passes in 2021. It is not dreaming too big to demand, right now: Every community should be connected to the twenty-first century shipping lane and communications pipeline—the Internet.

Here’s my blueprint for closing the digital divide. Step one is putting cables in the ground to get Internet access where it needs to go. Congress can keep costs in check by putting smarter policies in place to prevent duplication and waste. There also must be more access-related accountability for providers that receive federal funding. I also urge the new Administration to use the current moment on antitrust to finally go after the predatory telecommunications monopolies, which leave millions of Americans with virtually no choice when it comes to broadband service. Finally, the government needs to ensure, once and for all, that in communities where the big ISPs decide it’s not worth their time to serve, cities and towns have the choice to operate their own networks.