Biden Gets Heat, Including on 'City-Run' Broadband
Legislative language for $65 billion for broadband in the bipartisan infrastructure deal President Joe Biden backed Thursday (see 2106240070) “must be provider-neutral and not favor city-run solutions” as Biden previously sought, said Information Technology and Innovation Foundation Broadband and Spectrum…
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Policy Director Doug Brake. Biden’s March proposal prioritized “support for broadband networks owned, operated by, or affiliated with local governments, non-profits, and co-operatives” (see 2103310064). Brake said “the best way to close the digital divide is by distributing grants through an open and competitive process that is genuinely neutral with respect to technology and ownership.” Senate Republicans raised concerns with Biden’s statements backing pursuit of a second legislative package in tandem with the bipartisan measure via budget reconciliation. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., accused Biden in a floor speech of “caving completely in less than hours” to Democrats’ calls for a supplemental reconciliation. Biden’s support for parallel measures “hasn't been a secret,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters Friday. “He hasn't said it quietly.”