The Battle Lines Around Broadband

Lawmakers and industry groups are jockeying to shape the broadband internet investments likely to be embedded in President Joe Biden’s infrastructure efforts. Senior Democrats like House Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC) are eyeing a revival of their $100 billion package aimed at connecting the unconnected and funding programs to bolster digital equity, which is likely to take center stage in coming weeks. But Republicans, bless their hearts, bristle over bigger price tags and instead point to less costly ways to close the digital divide. “You’ve gotta pay for all of this stuff,” said Bob Latta (R-OH), the top Republican on the House Communications Subcommittee, referring to the pricier Democratic broadband proposals. “How do they come up with these figures and how are you going to spend it?” Although he prizes broadband’s bipartisan deal-making potential, he and many other congressional Republicans favor removing the regulatory hurdles broadband providers face in trying to build out their networks (like permitting on federal lands) and keeping investments tailored to avoid subsidizing competition with incumbent broadband providers. Watch for these debates to heat up this spring. Lawmakers will likely take on some of these infrastructure questions in the coming months after they wrap up the current pandemic relief bill. Although they’re able to pass this aid package without GOP buy-in, using budget reconciliation, they may need Republicans to move forward on infrastructure.