White House infrastructure coordinator Mitch Landrieu emphasized that high-speed internet is a necessity in today’s society and should be accessible to every household in America.
The incumbent and 46th president of the United States (US) Joe Biden has announced a high-speed internet initiative worth $42 billion in America. The scheme is his next push to invest in the country as he prepares for his re-election bid. The president is launching the project, targeted at offering high-speed internet to all households in America by 2030. Notably, Congress has already allocated the required funds via the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In addition, the allocation, which the US Department of Commerce is also overseeing, will be spread over the next couple of years via the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program.
High-Speed Internet Is Coming to America
Under the high-speed internet program, each state in America will receive at least $107 million. While Texas will get over $3.3 billion, 19 other states are slated to receive more than $1 billion.
Commenting on the initiative in America for Americans, vice-president Kamala Harris said at the White House that a fast internet connection is not a luxury. She added that such is necessary in this 21st century. Per the Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, the development will contribute to economic growth. Raimondo connected high-speed internet to better living standards in America, noting:
“Whether it’s connecting people to the digital economy, manufacturing fiber optic cable in America or creating good-paying jobs building internet infrastructure in the states, the investments we’re announcing will increase our competitiveness and spur economic growth across the country for years to come.”
Similarly, White House infrastructure coordinator Mitch Landrieu emphasized that high-speed internet is a necessity in today’s society and should be accessible to every household in America. He added that the president and the vice president are committed to committing all citizens without leaving any community behind.
In America, over 8.5 million homes and small businesses are considered to be underserved regarding internet access. This set of people, consisting of more than 7% of the country, have internet speed below the official standard. The government standard for internet speed is at least 25 megabits per second for downloads and 3 Mbps for uploads.
Additionally, the $42 billion investment in high-speed internet in America is part of the president’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill signed into law in November 2021. White House officials compared the project to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s (FDR) effort to extend electricity to rural America in the 1930s. FDR, who was the 32nd president of the United States between 1933 and 1945, had that as part of his New Deal legislation during the Great Depression.
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