How Does the U.S. Government Address Broadband Access?

The federal government has directed billions of dollars toward increasing the availability and decreasing the costs of broadband in the past decade, especially for low-income and other underserved households. Most recently, federal funds have come through provisions in recent legislation, particularly the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act of 2020. Federal policymakers allocate funds, set guidelines for how the money can be spent, provide oversight, and determine desired goals or expected outcomes.

The resources collected here look at the role of federal policies and how federal dollars are spent.