White House Halts Infrastructure Advisory Group, Will Continue American Technology Council

The White House “will not move forward” with the rollout of its Presidential Advisory Council on Infrastructure amid controversies that resulted in dissolution of the other two councils, an official told us. The White House was still seeking representatives for the 15-member council, which President Donald Trump created in a July executive order (see 1707200064), the official and a telecom lobbyist separately said. The White House had aimed for the group to study the efficacy of existing federal funding and support for infrastructure projects, including broadband deployment. It would have also worked on recommendation on prioritizing U.S. infrastructure needs and other development matters. The council’s halt comes amid planning for a White House-backed infrastructure legislative package, which has been anticipated to include a broadband title. The move follows the Wednesday dissolution of two White House councils dominated by CEOs. The Manufacturing Advisory Council and Strategic and Policy Forum disbanded amid fallout over President Donald Trump’s response to a weekend white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, that left one dead (see 1708140044 and 1708160068). But the White House does plan for its American Technology Council to continue meeting on modernization of the federal government’s IT systems, the official said. The ATC, formed earlier this year (see 1705110058), is dominated by federal government members but engages tech sector stakeholders as advisers. Private sector members dominated the dissolved CEO groups. Oracle said it will continue to be involved in ATC meetings, and some other companies indicated they're open to remaining as participants.