Pew Offers Recommendations to Treasury Department Regarding Stimulus Fund Guidance for Broadband Access

Letter emphasizes need for higher minimum speeds, better accountability measures, and fiscal flexibility

Pew Offers Stimulus Fund Guidance for Broadband Access

In a May 6 letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, The Pew Charitable Trusts made research-based recommendations regarding the department’s guidance for states, territories, and tribes on using money from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 Capital Projects Fund for broadband infrastructure.

Pew experts encouraged federal officials to set high standards for minimum broadband speeds and accountability while giving states the flexibility they need to meet those standards in a way that best aligns with their priorities.

Read the letter:

Broadband
Broadband

Key Lessons About Expanding Broadband Access

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Nationwide, at least 18 million—and perhaps more than 42 million—Americans lack access to broadband internet service, and millions more cannot afford a high-speed connection even if one is available. The significance of this access gap was thrust into the spotlight in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced millions of people to transition to working, learning, and performing other daily activities from home. This rapid shift led educators, employers, parents, and community leaders to echo what many policymakers and their partners have argued for the past decade: that reliable high-speed internet is essential for contemporary American life and that more action is needed to bridge the digital divide.

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Report

How States Are Expanding Broadband Access

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Broadband is increasingly intertwined with the daily functions of modern life. It is transforming agriculture, supporting economic development initiatives, and is a critical piece of efforts to improve health care and modernize transportation. But the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) estimates that 21 million Americans still lack broadband access.

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How does broadband internet reach our homes, phones, and tablets? What kind of infrastructure connects us all together? What are the major barriers to broadband access for American communities?