House Commerce Committee Hearing on LIFT America Act

The House Commerce Committee dove into the omnibus Lifting Infrastructure for Tomorrow's (LIFT) America Act, which includes $40 billion for broadband buildouts. Ranking Member Greg Walden (R-OR) said rebuilding infrastructure was a bipartisan priority, as was the agreement on better mapping to prevent "rampant overbuilding." Witness Mignon Clyburn, principal, MLC Strategies, LLC, and former commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission, said the FCC should not be using current, bad, broadband coverage maps to determine who needs broadband. "I recommend that we throw those coverage maps out," she said. "They should never again be used for any proceedings, including for funding purposes."

Clyburn also said that when the government does hand out that $40 billion broadband money, it should provide a preference for those who offer 1 gig speeds. Clyburn said that the money should be targeted to unserved, rather than underserved, communities, and avoid duplicative funding. "The new funding provided by the LIFT America Act should be restricted to those unserved areas that are not receiving funds from the e Connect America Fund Phase II, the USDA’s ReConnect program, or the upcoming Rural Digital Opportunity Fund," she said.