After weeks of negotiating, a bipartisan group of senators reached a deal on “the major issues” in their $1.2 trillion infrastructure package, GOP senators involved in the talks announced Wednesday. Broadband deployment spending remains a major part of the legislation. While it could be days before they finish writing the measure, the deal means the Senate can now begin debating the legislation in earnest, according to Axios.
“We now have an agreement on the major issues,” Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), the lead GOP negotiator, said Wednesday afternoon. “There is a CBO [Congressional Budget Office] official score that covers much of the bill,” Portman said, something many GOP senators deemed necessary before voting on the measure.
“We are still finalizing the details, but we have reached agreement on the major issues,” Susan Collins (R-ME) said. “I am delighted that we’ve been able to come together as a bipartisan group.”
The deal is expected to cost $1.2 trillion over eight years, and offers more than $550 billion in new spending:
- $65 billion will be allocated for broadband, Collins said.
- $47 billion for flooding and coastal resiliency, said Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA).
- The bill will include language regarding enforcement of unemployment insurance fraud, and is fully paid for.
What’s next? Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said Wednesday the Senate could vote as early as Wednesday night to advance the proposal, the second time lawmakers would vote on this procedural measure. Schumer maintains he’s prepared to keep the Senate in session over the weekend to finish the bipartisan infrastructure bill: “It’s time for everyone to get to yes,” he announced on the floor on Monday, noted Axios.
Schumer has made clear that both the bipartisan bill and the Senate’s $3.5 trillion budget resolution need to pass prior to August recess. As of Wednesday, that was scheduled to begin in less than two weeks.
NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association, welcomed the news. Todd Washam, NATE Director of Government Relations and Wireless Industry Network, called the broadband deployment funding “unprecedented.”
“The association is also pleased that the agreement includes provisions for wireless firms to be eligible for deployment funding. This historic investment will help fulfill one of NATE’s priorities, closing the digital divide, while delivering reliable internet and communications services to rural, unserved and underserved communities,” said Washam. “NATE supports swift action by the Senate and urges the House of Representatives to pass this important infrastructure package as soon as possible.”
The Wireless Infrastructure Association was pleased as well. “We are thrilled negotiators agreed to WIA’s call to make wireless eligible for funding,” said WIA President/CEO Jonathan Adelstein. “While we haven’t seen final language on some other last-minute issues – some of which is not even written yet – what appears certain is that the negotiators came down on the side of rural Americans who need the mobility, resiliency and public safety wireless delivers best. The agreement appears to explicitly prioritize faster deployments, as I called for at a Senate hearing, so unserved Americans get broadband sooner – and which will help wireless operators compete for funding since they can get up and running faster.”
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