Inspenet, June 27, 2023.
The White House distributed a sum of 42,000 million dollars among the 50 states and territories of the United States with the goal of achieving universal access to high-speed broadband by the year 2030. This initiative is part of a new advertising campaign that promotes the economic policies of President Joe Biden.
Such funding comes from the Equitable Broadband Access and Deployment Program, which was authorized by the $1 trillion infrastructure bill of 2021 and endorsed by Biden. These funds will be used based on a coverage map recently developed by the Federal Communications Commission, which identifies areas with broadband access gaps.
Internet in every corner of the United States
On the funding list, Texas and California lead with $3.1 billion and $1.9 billion, respectively. However, other less populous states like Virginia, Alabama and Louisiana are also in the top 10 recipients of funding due to lack of broadband access. These states have large rural areas that have lower Internet connectivity compared to other cities.
In a speech delivered at the White House On Monday, President Biden claimed that this is the largest investment ever made in high-speed internet. He also expressed that for the current economy to benefit everyone, Internet access is as essential as electricity, water and other basic services.
The amounts vary and range from $27 million for territories like the Virgin Islands to more than $3.3 billion for Texas. Each state will receive at least $107 million.
This announcement marks the beginning of the second leg of Biden’s tour and highlights how legislation passed when his Democratic Party was in control of Congress will impact average American citizens as he prepares for his potential re-election bid in 2024.
As part of his strategy, Biden will deliver a major speech in Chicago on Wednesday, introducing what is known as the “Bidenomy,” according to a memo issued Monday by senior advisers Anita Dunn and Mike Donilon to congressional Democrats and others. allies.
The 2024 election will be in part a referendum on Biden’s management of the economy. Job creation and low unemployment are positives, but high inflation and the spillover effect of higher interest rates have raised concerns about a possible recession.
According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted earlier this month, more than 54% of Americans disapprove of the way Biden is doing his job, while just 35% approve of his handling of the economy. In the 2022 midterm elections, the Democrats lost control of the House of Representatives.
For its part, the administration estimates that there are about 8.5 million places in the United States that lack access to broadband connections.
Internet service providers such as Verizon , Comcast , Charter Communications , and AT&T have shown some reluctance to provide access in sparsely populated rural areas due to high investment costs and subscriber deficits in those regions. The lack of broadband access became apparent during the pandemic as students were forced to study online.
States are expected to submit initial plans later this year to unlock 20% of the funding and once the plans are finalized, which could be as early as 2025, the government will release the rest of the money.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-detail-plans-42-billion-investment-us-internet-access-2023-06-26/
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