Broadband Funding Aims to Connect America | OAS Episode 175

The $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) signed into law in November 2021 included $65 billion for high-speed internet, or broadband. The bill includes nearly $45 million to serve parts of the country that are not well-served with broadband and also provide other services so people can both connect and make use of the service. We sat down with Angela Seifer, the executive director of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, and Erlinda Doherty in NCSL’s Washington office, to better understand the effect that money will have on communities across the country. Doherty broke down the funding, explained how the federal government will administer the program and actions states need to take to participate. Angela discussed what communities are most in need of broadband service, the importance of providing not just service but also devices and the critical role of teaching digital skills and literacy. This is the fifth and final installment of our podcast series on the IIJA and the massive infusion of infrastructure money to the states. Our earlier episodes broke down the overall financing; the water projects covered under the bill; the highways, bridges and transportation programs; and the impact the legislation will have on the nation’s energy system.

NCSL Podcasts · Angela Seifer, Erlinda Doherty, Ed Smith