With President Joe Biden’s recently passed infrastructure bill providing funding to support broadband deployment, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) assistant secretary recently released statements outlining the goals of the bill.
In a statement Nov. 15, U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo applauded Biden’ signing of the bipartisan infrastructure deal into law, stating that his ability to work across the aisle has led to infrastructure investments that will impact every community in the country.
“This is a huge win for American families, workers, and businesses, and will make America more competitive on the world stage through critical investments here at home,” Raimondo wrote.
The NTIA will be responsible for implementing programs with $48.2 billion of the total $65 billion in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a release by NTIA states.
"Congratulations to President Biden, Vice President (Kamala) Harris, Secretary Raimondo, our colleagues in Congress and all of our partners in the private sector, state, local, and tribal governments, and civil society on this historic achievement,” Evelyn Remaley, acting assistant secretary of commerce for communications and information and NTIA administrator, said in the statement.
According to the NTIA, the funding will be divided between six programs, with $42.5 billion going to the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program.
“The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will deliver long-needed improvements and infrastructure build outs to every corner of the country,” Remaley said.
The infrastructure bill provides $1 billion for the Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program, $2 billion for the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program and $2.75 billion to create three Digital Equity Act Programs.
