Treasury Preps Billions for States and Localities. Will it Mean More Broadband?

Typically, the Department of Treasury is outside the scope of broadband policy. But in March, President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act, directing Treasury to disperse many, many billions of dollars to help State, local, and Tribal governments respond to the pandemic. And these billions may be used to expand access to broadband. The Department of Treasury recently issued an Interim Final Rule that would implement the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund and the Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund which can be used for a number of purposes and investment in broadband infrastructure is explicitly one of them. In releasing the Interim Final Rule, Treasury is seeking public comment on its proposal.