PENNSYLVANIA — President Biden’s American Jobs Plan will bring affordable, reliable, high-speed broadband to every American, including to more than one in three rural Americans who lack access to broadband at minimally acceptable speeds — unless Pennsylvania Republicans and their allies in Congress get their way.
President Biden’s American Jobs Plan will make a historic investment of $100 billion, bringing affordable, reliable, high-speed broadband to every American in every county. That investment will build high-speed broadband infrastructure to reach 100 percent coverage. The President’s plan prioritizes building “future proof” broadband infrastructure in unserved and underserved areas so that we finally reach 100 percent high-speed broadband coverage. It also prioritizes support for broadband networks owned, operated by, or affiliated with local governments, non-profits, and co-operatives—providers with less pressure to turn profits and with a commitment to serving entire communities.
President Biden included historic investments in rural broadband in his American Jobs Plan because he knows that in the 21st century, every American needs broadband internet to do their jobs, to participate equally in school learning, health care, and to stay connected. Yet, 5% of Pennsylvanians live in areas where there is no broadband infrastructure that provides minimally acceptable speeds. 44% of Pennsylvanians live in areas where there is only one such internet provider.
Even where infrastructure is available, broadband may be too expensive to be within reach. 14% of Pennsylvania households do not have an internet subscription. The Center for Rural Pennsylvania has been documenting and reporting the need for broadband service in PA’s rural areas. That research, published in 2019, collected more than 11 million broadband speed tests from across Pennsylvania and found that speeds in most areas of the state did not even qualify as a broadband connection.
The last year made painfully clear the cost of these disparities, particularly for students who struggled to connect while learning remotely, compounding learning loss and social isolation for those students.
While Democrats in Congress have been fighting to bring reliable, high-speed, and affordable coverage to every family across the commonwealth, Pennsylvania Republicans have been unwilling to support President Biden’s American Jobs Plan. Many of these GOP Congressmen represent the very areas in Pennsylvania that would benefit the most from this legislation. Yet, they would rather support handouts for millionaires and wealthy corporations than bring much needed relief to the rural communities in PA.
“President Biden understands that expanding high-speed internet access to underserved rural and urban Pennsylvanians is crucial if every Pennsylvanian is to have an equal chance to join and stay in the middle class,” said PA Dems Spokesperson, Rosie Lapowsky. “The American Jobs Plan will ensure this essential service is available and affordable for all Pennsylvanians. It is shameful that our Republican representatives in Washington are willing to give tax breaks to their wealthy donors, but aren’t willing to support vital relief that their constituents so desperately need. ”
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