On Saturday 6 November the United States House of Representatives passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which President Joe Biden has described as ‘a once-in-generation bipartisan infrastructure bill that will create millions of jobs, turn the climate crisis into an opportunity, and put us on a path to win the economic competition for the 21st century’.
In terms of telecoms-related investment, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal will deliver USD65 billion to help ensure that every American has access to reliable high speed broadband. The legislation will also help to lower prices for internet services and help close the digital divide, so that more Americans can afford web access.
As per the White House fact sheet that accompanied the announcement, more than 30 million Americans currently live in areas lacking broadband infrastructure ‘that provides minimally acceptable speeds’. This is a particular problem in rural communities throughout the country, the government notes.