A group of five Republican and five Democratic senators announced last Thursday they have worked in good faith to reach a bipartisan agreement on a framework to modernize U.S. infrastructure and energy technologies: $1 trillion over five years, or $1.2 trillion over eight years, including $579 billion in new spending.
Details have not yet been released on exact funding amounts for broadband, but lawmakers says the investment would be fully paid for and not include tax increases. “We are discussing our approach with our respective colleagues, and the White House, and remain optimistic that this can lay the groundwork to garner broad support from both parties and meet America’s infrastructure needs,” Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Rob Portman (R-OH), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Jon Tester (D-MT) and Mark Warner (D-VA) said in a
statement.