WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — The new COVID relief compromise is gaining traction on Capitol Hill and 10 billion dollars will pay for a public/private partnership to improve Americans’ internet service
“I say this as somebody who spent longer in the wireless industry than I have in politics. We can provide some of that much need relief,” Virginia Democratic Senator Mark Warner said.
Warner says while there was money for broadband in the Cares Act, “that’s a potential short term solution.”
He says the new money will help build lasting high-speed internet service for more Americans.
“And one of the things we found is that broadband is now an economic necessity,” Warner said.
Pennsylvania Republican Congressman Fred Keller agrees, the pandemic showcased the need for reliable internet access.
“It takes care of education, it takes care of the delivery of healthcare, and it takes care of commerce,” Keller said.
“This is not just in rural communities. There are many suburban communities that have very slow internet or no internet,” Warner said.
Both Warner and Keller agree this money will help provide high-speed broadband to millions of more Americans.
“We need these things. And I’m all for making sure that we have the resources to adequately build out an infrastructure system in broadband,” Keller said.
If Congress approves this plan, four billion dollars of the broadband fund would go to supporting connectivity to low-income households.
