An unsung, unnamed bureaucrat could soon be in charge of closing the digital divide

As far as telecommunications regulators go, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has always felt like something of a bit player compared to the Federal Communications Commission. But if the Senate infrastructure bill successfully makes its way through the House and to President Biden's desk, that could change. The bill allocates a whopping $42.5 billion for broadband deployment to states and local governments, all of which will be overseen by the NTIA administrator — a cash infusion that could turn this historically unsung position into perhaps the most important job in the country when it comes to closing the digital divide. Technically, of course, the money goes to the states. But it's the NTIA administrator who will determine whether the broadband deployment plans put forth by the governors of those states are approved. While the person who will lead this work is still unknown, the NTIA is already preparing for its expanded role in the broadband space, recently opening two new broadband-focused offices. The infrastructure package is still being negotiated in the House, but these offices will focus meanwhile on other broadband-focused grant programs, including the $288 million Broadband Infrastructure Program. Already, that program has elicited $2.5 billion in funding requests from states.