House Commerce GOP Bows Broadband Infrastructure Plan

The Biden administration said Thursday it expects deliberations over how to respond to Senate Republicans’ infrastructure counteroffer to continue into Friday, amid conflicting evaluations about prospects for a deal (see 2105190069). House Commerce Committee Republicans bowed the American Broadband Act to counter President Joe Biden’s proposal to spend $100 billion on broadband. The counterproposal includes $65 billion. More than 40 groups and companies launched the Broadband Equity for All coalition to press lawmakers to create a permanent federal broadband benefit program to succeed the FCC-administered $3.2 billion emergency broadband benefit program.

The administration and Senate Republicans say the negotiations remain productive, but some officials believe the chances for a deal are diminishing. Senate Public Works Committee ranking member Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, who led the Republicans’ counterproposal, told reporters she expects the White House to give its response as soon as Friday.

“Are we on the same page of every component of how it should be paid for or on the numbers? No,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said during a news conference. “Do we know we’ll have a successful outcome? No, we don’t know that yet, because this is democracy in action. This is compromise. This is negotiations.”

House Commerce Republicans’ American Broadband Act would allocate $20 billion over five years for an NTIA-administered broadband grant program aimed at funding public-private partnerships and $3 billion for an NTIA-administered rural wireless grant program. It would require NTIA to determine grant eligibility using the FCC’s pending improved broadband coverage data maps. The measure incorporates language from 24 of the 28 broadband bills committee Republicans filed in February (see 2102160067). “By relying on a light-touch regulatory environment and targeted investments -- rather than cumbersome government-run networks -- we will ensure reliable, affordable access for the communities who need it most,” said House Commerce ranking member Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., and Communications Subcommittee ranking member Bob Latta, R-Ohio.

Rep. G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., reintroduced his Expanding Opportunities for Broadband Deployment Act, as expected (see 2103220063). It would eliminate the eligible telecom carrier designation as a requirement for providers to receive USF (see 2006110063). NCTA praised this.

The Broadband Equity for All coalition believes a permanent broadband benefit program is needed because the EBB has finite resources as enacted via the FY 2021 appropriations and COVID-19 aid package (see 2012280052). The Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act (HR-1783/S-745), one of the Democrats’ broadband infrastructure proposals, includes an additional $6 billion for EBB (see 2103110060). Coalition members include ACA Connects, AT&T, Charter, Comcast, Microsoft, the National Hispanic Media Coalition and Verizon.