Coalition Commends Bipartisan Spending Deal Inclusion of $7 Billion for Broadband & Full Funding for Mapping Data Fixes

Press Release
December 22, 2020
Contact: Jon Conradi
[email protected]

Washington, D.C. – Connect Americans Now (CAN) executive director Richard T. Cullen reacted Tuesday to the passage late Monday of a bipartisan spending package in Congress with $7 billion in funding for broadband, including full funding for the first year of implementation of critical fixes to the nation’s mapping of the digital divide.

“Connect Americans Now (CAN) applauds lawmakers for passing this down payment on tackling the digital divide that includes substantial funding to expand and sustain connectivity as well as to begin implementation of critical fixes to the nation’s data on the digital divide,” said CAN executive director Richard T. Cullen. “Congress has rightfully recognized the broadband gap is as an urgent challenge made more severe by the impact of the pandemic and demonstrated a bipartisan commitment to action.”

“Providing the funding required to implement the Broadband DATA Act will allow for urgently needed improvements to the nation’s broadband mapping data to better direct public and private investments,” Cullen continued. “Accurately measuring the scale and location of the challenge will help ensure no American is left behind.”

“In the New Year, Congress must build on this positive progress by providing the resources necessary to support broadband deployments to completely eliminate the digital divide and reach every unserved American,” Cullen said. “CAN looks forward to working with the new administration and lawmakers, in both parties, to close the broadband gap once and for all.”

On December 3, CAN sent a letter to congressional appropriators encouraging them to provide full funding for broadband mapping at the first available opportunity. Read the full letter HERE.

In August, CAN was joined by 46 organizations on a letter to congressional leaders encouraging significant funding for broadband connectivity in a fourth COVID relief package. Read the full letter HERE.

CAN is a coalition of more than 275 organizations and companies representing voices for agriculture, health care, education, small business, technology, veterans, rural advocacy and more — committed to completely and swiftly eliminating the digital divide in America through an all-of-the-above approach. Read more on CAN and our mission HERE.

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