Larry Downes.pdf

Larry Downes, Project Director at the Georgetown Center for Business and Public Policy, testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on "Investing in America's Broadband Infrastructure: Exploring Ways to Reduce Barriers to Deployment." He noted that the U.S. has made significant progress in broadband deployment, with privately funded investments in next-generation networks, but a digital divide still exists, particularly in rural and tribal areas. Downes recommended targeted Congressional action to accelerate broadband deployment and adoption, including freeing up critical radio spectrum and infrastructure-related reforms. He also suggested including broadband in any infrastructure plan, citing the need to close the digital divide and enable future innovations such as autonomous vehicles, smart cities, and artificial intelligence.