The COVID-19 pandemic has brought broadband, and particularly the state of rural broadband, front and center in the infrastructure debate. Closing the “digital divide” the divide between those who have Internet access and those who do not has become a top priority for policymakers on both sides of the aisle.
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On March 31, the Biden Administration released details on its “American Jobs Plan.” Containing $2.25 trillion in new spending, $400 billion in tax credits, and $2.75 trillion in tax increases, if passed as proposed, the plan would be among the largest pieces of legislation in American history.REF The sprawling nature of the proposal, which includes taxes, transportation infrastructure, schools, health benefits, economic incentives, and more, makes the package difficult to analyze and summarize for public debate.
This has become standard practice in Washington: Leading Members of Congress bundle disparate policy measures into a handful of bloated legislative vehicles per session, and deem them “must pass” in order to pressure rank-and-file Members to vote in favor of them regardless of their specific policy concerns.REF