With Broadband on the Senate's Plate, Will the U.S. Get Served?

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is expected to roll out a $1 trillion COVID-response bill as early as the week of July 20. There's no indication yet about whether broadband will be part of the package. In addition to the House-passed HEROES Act, senators have introduced some two dozen bills to address the digital divide over the past few months. On the G&T: Tech on the Rocks podcast hosted by Benton Senior Fellow and Public Advocate Gigi Sohn, telecommunications policy advocate David Goodfriend predicted that to pass the Senate, any broadband provisions will have to be technologically neutral, temporary, and not "undermine markets" (which he clarified to mean 'no reliance on municipal broadband networks'). 

We are a long way from navigating ourselves out of the COVID-19 health and economic crises. Let's hope the Senate can act to help keep us all connected during the tough times ahead.