| Friend — After months of hard work from Free Press Action’s policy team, working in close coordination with our allies in Congress, the Senate just passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a $1.2-trillion deal negotiated by senators on both sides of the aisle and the Biden White House.
Our team played a big role in shaping this legislation, reframing the debate over broadband policy in the press, conducting original research, and holding hundreds — maybe thousands — of hours of meetings over the past two years with policymakers and coalition allies to analyze and influence this outcome.
With more than $40 billion for broadband deployment and especially the $14.2 billion for broadband-affordability measures, this bill is a truly historic achievement.
This legislation will provide people with affordable access to essential information — information that could be lifesaving during the COVID-19 pandemic and other emergencies.
This is the most meaningful congressional investment ever in closing the digital divide. For far too long, the conversation in Washington about the digital divide focused on broadband deployment alone, overlooking the fact that millions of people with access to high-speed internet simply can’t afford it.
The legislation will provide households living near the poverty line or enrolled in other federal-aid programs with up to $30 per month for the internet package of their choosing from participating providers. That maximum allowance will increase to $75 per month for people living on Tribal lands.
The fact that the bill addresses affordability is a major win — the result of the years we’ve devoted to highlighting that high-speed internet is out of reach for millions of low-income people, particularly in Black, Latinx and Indigenous communities.
The infrastructure bill won’t end the digital divide once and for all. But it will make a meaningful difference for people across the country.
Free Press Action’s ability to help drive meaningful legislation like the infrastructure bill is possible only because of supporters like you. We have a voice in Congress because we represent more than 1.4 million activists like you.
As we work toward our next actions in the fight to truly end the digital divide once and for all, please consider making your first donation to Free Press Action today to help fuel the fight.
Thank you for everything you do for our movement.
Craig Aaron
Co-CEO
Free Press Action
freepress.net |
