Democrats Bow Muni Broadband, EBB Expansion Measures

Democrats bowed two broadband bills Tuesday as the chamber headed toward an expected Wednesday vote on Senate-passed changes to the American Rescue Plan Act COVID-19 budget reconciliation package. HR-1319 includes emergency broadband and CPB funding (see 2103080057). The House received the amended bill Tuesday and was readying a procedural vote that afternoon. Rep. Anna Eshoo of California and Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey led refiling of the Community Broadband Act, which would guarantee municipalities and other local governments retain the right to build their own broadband networks in competition with ISPs. Eshoo originally filed the bill in 2016 after the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down FCC pre-emption of state laws restricting municipal broadband networks (see 1609130059). The measure “will bridge the digital divide and help local governments enable connectivity, increase economic growth and create jobs,” Eshoo said. Rep. Jared Golden of Maine is a co-sponsor of the House version. Reps. Marc Veasey of Texas and Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware, meanwhile, filed the Enhanced Emergency Broadband Act, which would provide additional emergency broadband benefit money (see 2103040049).