Broadband Part of New Infrastructure Plan Offered by House Chairmen

The Chairs of three House Committees released a framework for a five-year, $760 billion investment in infrastructure that would address some of the country’s most urgent infrastructure needs, including broadband internet networks. The framework put forth by Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ), and Ways and Means Committee Chair Richard Neal (D-MA) would bolster the Federal role in order to help communities around the country undertake transformative projects that are smarter, safer, and made to last. The framework:

• Brings existing infrastructure into a state of good repair and enables the completion of critical projects through long-term, sustainable funding.
• Sets a path toward zero carbon pollution from the transportation sector, creating jobs, protecting our natural resources, promoting environmental justice, and increasing resiliency to climate change.
• Expands broadband internet access, adoption for unserved and underserved rural, suburban, and urban communities.
• Modernizes 9-1-1 public safety networks.
• Creates family-wage jobs with Davis-Bacon and other strong worker protections.
• Supports U.S. industries.

Deployment of High-Speed Broadband – Invests $80 billion over five years to deploy secure and resilient broadband and expand access for communities nationwide. This investment would fund connections to the internet to unserved and underserved rural, suburban, and urban areas across the country. A high-speed internet connection is an essential part of life, and helps create stronger small businesses, more jobs, and a powerful economy in communities that have been left behind.

Low-Interest Financing for Broadband Deployment – Invests $5 billion over five years for low-interest financing of broadband deployment through a new program that would allow eligible entities to apply for secured loans, lines of credit, or loan guarantees to finance broadband infrastructure build out projects.

Digital Equity – Invests $540 million over five years to promote digital equity and build capacity for efforts by States relating to the adoption of broadband, and invests $600 million to support digital equity, promote digital inclusion activities, and spur greater adoption of broadband among covered populations.

Grants for Implementation of Next Generation 9-1-1 – Provides $12 billion in grants for the implementation of Next Generation 9-1-1 services to make 9-1-1 service more accessible, effective, and resilient. This service would protect American lives by allowing callers to send text messages, images, or videos to 9-1-1 to help responders better assess the nature of an emergency and reach people in need.