Promoting Transparency and Competition in the Broadband Market
The Biden Administration should (i) direct the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to take simple administrative steps to promote transparency in the broadband-internet market and (ii) allocate funds through competitive grants and low-interest loans to projects that will increase broadband-market competition. Transparency, funding, and competition will lead to lower prices for consumers and greater adoption of residential broadband. The latter has been proven to increase economic competitiveness while also supplying myriad other social benefits.
“What excites me is that it’s very tempting to be very discouraged, and say, ‘Oh, we’ve got these archaic institutions that are calcified and you could never change them.’ But I think we’re in the middle of a technological revolution that will upend lots of things, and does provide a window.”
As Congress considers broader packages to advance critical minerals production and supply chain resilience, science diplomacy vehicles must be part of that conversation, not as an afterthought, but as an intentional and foundational pillar of any strategy.
“Structured partnerships with our allies on critical minerals innovation can ensure that the best science and the best talent are working together towards shared security and economic prosperity.”
This is a bipartisan, commonsense measure to reauthorize the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) before it expires in September 2026.