House Commerce Republicans Introduce the American Broadband Act

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House Republicans unveiled the American Broadband Act (HR 3435) to help close the digital divide by ensuring broadband infrastructure reaches all Americans and is not used to fund duplicative and wasteful overbuilding. Republicans on the House Commerce Committee introduced the American Broadband Act to close the digital divide, target rural and unserved areas, remove barriers to deployment, streamline permitting processes, and unleash private investment. The package includes legislation from their Boosting Broadband Connectivity Agenda and additional resources to close the digital divide. The American Broadband Act will:

  • Close the digital divide through investments that target rural and unserved areas based on accurate maps;
  • Authorize $20 billion over five years to promote broadband infrastructure deployment and $3 billion to promote rural wireless infrastructure deployment;
  • Remove barriers to investment and deployment for distressed communities and encourage public-private broadband partnerships;
  • Streamline permitting processes by incentivizing state and local governments to cut red tape, placing reasonable limits on permitting, and promoting infrastructure deployment on federal lands;
  • Unleash private investment to win the future.

E&C Republicans are Closing the Digital Divide with the American Broadband Act