President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Act of 2021 (BIL) earmarks tens of billions of taxpayer dollars for broadband internet expansion, but more than three years later, not a single project has moved forward. not present.
The $1.2 trillion law allocates more than $42 billion to: provide Regarding internet access in mostly rural and underserved areas, Biden once explained: initiative “It’s no different than what Roosevelt did with electricity.” However, none of the projects funded by this initiative, which received federal grants, have broken ground. unexpected To achieve the project by 2025, the main deadline lots of Regulatory hurdlesrequirements for internet providers to participate in green initiatives and hire a unionized workforce, and more. (Related: Report: $84 billion worth of Biden subsidy manufacturing projects in trouble)
“In 2021, Kamala Harris has become the ‘broadband czar,'” said Republican South Dakota Sen. John Thune. I wrote In a post on X on September 24th, “After 3 years and $42 billion, not a single person has connected to the internet under BEAD.” [Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment] program. “
It’s been almost three years since the BEAD program was established, and in all that time, not a single household has been connected to the Internet by the program. “Broadband Emperor” Harris’ tenure has been nothing short of a disaster. pic.twitter.com/3qmehkvIM5
— Sen. John Thune (@SenJohnThune) September 24, 2024
Another issue is the problems faced by applicants. demonstrate How will the internet plans they offer, using federally subsidized infrastructure, be affordable to Americans with household incomes below 200% of the poverty line? Virginia’s application process, for example, took more than 10 months due to a dispute between the state and the federal government over price caps for low-cost plans.
White House implementation pace Under scrutiny After protests from Republican lawmakers, the House Energy and Commerce Committee launched an investigation into the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s handling of the initiative. The broadband expansion program has also been compared to the Biden-Harris administration’s electric vehicle (EV) charger expansion plan. The administration has built just seven sites as of April 2024, despite $7.5 billion allocated in the November 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law.
The EV charger expansion program has been delayed in part due to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) requirements, with the Department of Transportation saying applicants must “get underserved” by hosting “neighborhood block parties.” We need to commit to participating in “intentional support for underserved communities,” he said.
“The Biden administration is layering this $42.45 billion program with a partisan political agenda. This is a liberal wish list that has nothing to do with connecting the American people,” said former Federal Communications Commission official. said Committee Chairman Brendan Kerr. I wrote Posted in June X. “Climate change mandates, technology bias, DEI requirements, preferential treatment of government-run networks, and more.”
The U.S. Department of Commerce did not respond to a request for comment.
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