The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the “Moving Forward Act” (HR 2), a $1.5 trillion infrastructure funding bill that includes $8.8 billion for a new “broadband benefit” program to help low-income households and recently laid-off consumers pay for internet connections, as well as $1.3 billion in funding for state and community digital inclusion initiatives.
NDIA Executive Director Angela Siefer enthusiastically welcomed the House vote. “This is an historic moment for digital inclusion practitioners and advocates, as well as for millions of urban and rural Americans who remain excluded from mainstream digital connection,” Siefer commented. “As we said when the broadband provisions of this legislation were made public last week, Congressional leaders are finally addressing all the causes of the persistent digital divide affecting communities of all kinds – big cities, small towns, suburban as well as rural areas. HR 2 would invest heavily to bring broadband fiber infrastructure to any community where it’s needed, including urban as well as rural neighborhoods, working with all kinds of providers — not just big incumbents. At the same time, it proposes major support for broadband affordability and adoption — creating a federal broadband benefit to make internet service affordable to everyone, providing more than a billion dollars to help states and communities fund digital inclusion initiatives, and requiring the FCC and providers to make the price of home broadband service transparent and public. This is the comprehensive approach to digital equity that our country needs.”
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NDIA Executive Director Angela Siefer enthusiastically welcomed the House vote. “This is an historic moment for digital inclusion practitioners and advocates, as well as for millions of urban and rural Americans who remain excluded from mainstream digital connection,” Siefer commented. “As we said when the broadband provisions of this legislation were made public last week, Congressional leaders are finally addressing all the causes of the persistent digital divide affecting communities of all kinds – big cities, small towns, suburban as well as rural areas. HR 2 would invest heavily to bring broadband fiber infrastructure to any community where it’s needed, including urban as well as rural neighborhoods, working with all kinds of providers — not just big incumbents. At the same time, it proposes major support for broadband affordability and adoption — creating a federal broadband benefit to make internet service affordable to everyone, providing more than a billion dollars to help states and communities fund digital inclusion initiatives, and requiring the FCC and providers to make the price of home broadband service transparent and public. This is the comprehensive approach to digital equity that our country needs.”
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