President Joe Biden's promise to expand broadband internet to every American took a major step forward with his signing of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act on Nov. 15, 2021.

The law included many items from Biden's agenda. It was negotiated by a bipartisan group of senators, then passed with bipartisan support in both the Senate and the House.

The roughly $1 trillion measuer includes sections on roads, bridges, waterways, railways, and the electric grid. But it also includes about $65 billion for improving broadband internet access, particularly in rural areas and for lower-income Americans.

It will send more than $42 billion in grant money to states to improve internet access.

"This bill will help address several issues as it relates to access, affordability, and transparency," Jonathan Schwantes, senior policy counsel at Consumer Reports, wrote shortly after the bill's enactment. "This bipartisan effort is critical for ensuring that more Americans, especially the most vulnerable, have a connection to high-speed internet." 

The investments in the bipartisan infrastructure law come on top of funding included in the American Rescue Plan, the coronavirus and economic relief law signed by Biden just weeks into his presidency. The legislation included $350 billion for states to improve their infrastructure, some of which could be spent on broadband, as well as a separate provision called the Capital Projects Fund that could also be used for broadband projects.

The bill's signing is a major step forward, but we'll hold off on crediting Biden with keeping this promise until we see how smoothly the provisions in the laws are implemented on the ground. This remains In the Works.