HB 30-01: Let's get Wired Act (DEBATING)

[OBD]

SENATE BILL

To expand access to broadband

Be it enacted in Both Houses of Congress Assembled,

Lets Get Wired (LGW) Act

1.) This Act hereby recognises the importance of broadband and data access for communities across Atlasia, and recognises that too many communities still lack reliable, affordable and high quality broadband. This act takes the following steps to remedy this inequality.

2.) The Lets Get Wired Task-Force is hereby created to work alongside existing commissions , with an NPC chairman and 5 other representatives appointed by the President, along with one representative from each of Atlasia's region. This taskforce is hereby empowered to expand, improve and introduce high-speed broadband across Atlasia and its regions.

3.) $20 billion shall hereby be appropriated over the next 5 years to aims and objectives of the LGW Act. The $20 billion is hereby broken down in the following areas.  

3A.) $10 billion of this funding is for the up-front cost of installing new broadband route in areas currently not receiving an connection of least 25 megabits per second, an upload speed of at least 3 megabits per second.

3B.) $5 billion is hereby granted to the regions of Atlasia to spend on the improving and expanding broadband access.

3C.) $2 billion is hereby allocated for the installation of broadband for rural areas and areas under the oversight of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)

3D.) $1 billion is hereby allocated for a federal jobs training and apprenticeship scheme designed to train employees for the skills needed in the installation of broadband infrastructure.

3E.) $1 billion is hereby allocated for public schools and libraries to improve and expand broadband access.

3F.) $500 million is hereby allocated for hospitals and other medical facilities to invest, expand and improve tele-health programs for patients, with the funding designated for improving services for patients with historic difficulty in accessing broadband connections.

3EG) $500 million is hereby allocated to be granted to small business (those with less than 10 employees) to improve internet accessibility for the business, and for employees working from home. The maximum grant amount shall be capped at $5,000 per company.  

People's Regional Senate
Passed 6-0 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled,

Sponsor: Harvey
Status: Debating

[Harvey Updyke Jr🌹]

I'll sponsor.  Advocacy later.

Edit:  can sponsors offer amendments? This bill is incredibly meek.  25mbit is like 15 years ago.

[OBD]

24 hours to object. And yes, sponsors can offer amendments.

[Joseph Cao]

If the sponsor is recognized, my two cents are that this bill does an appropriate job of building on Ted’s bill from last July that IIRC simply uncapped existing restrictions on broadband and added a broad outline of what universal broadband coverage could look like. At the moment I don’t see anything objectionable with the funding levels.

What would an ambitious level look like, anyway, if 25 Mbps is considered meek? As someone who has never had a connection strength above that level and is still managing relatively fine with video calls and other stuff, it seems reasonable to me. (In point of fact my current speed is about 4 kbps.)

[Joseph Cao]

Well, I certainly picked an unfortunate time to ask this question. That’s on me.

Bumping this so Harvey hopefully sees it when he gets back.

[Joseph Cao]

[tumbleweed rolls across the screen]

I'll sponsor.  Advocacy later.

Edit:  can sponsors offer amendments? This bill is incredibly meek.  25mbit is like 15 years ago.

I hate prodding in this manner but it has been a full fortnight since the sponsor's promise of advocacy and forthcoming amendments.

[Continential]

I'll motion for a final vote.

[Esteemed Jimmy]

I'll motion for a final vote.

Seconding.

25mbit is good enough for a baseline; thats the fastest you can get in some of the irl areas around me.

[Left Wing]

Apologies, just got around to sorting some of the house stuff, will be done later, 24 hours to object.

[Left Wing]

Final vote now open.

[Esteemed Jimmy]

Aye

[Joseph Cao]

Aye.

[Continential]

Aye

[Saint Milei]

aye

[lfromnj]

Aye

[Starry Eyed Jagaloon]

Aye

[P. Clodius Pulcher did nothing wrong]

Aye

[Left Wing]

This passes the House 7-0-0-2

Aye: Jimmy, Cao, Ishan, DeadPrez, lfromnj, Blairite, razze
Nay:
Abstain:
Didn't Vote: Harvey, Talleyrand

[Left Wing]

SENATE BILL

To expand access to broadband

Be it enacted in Both Houses of Congress Assembled,

Lets Get Wired (LGW) Act

1.) This Act hereby recognises the importance of broadband and data access for communities across Atlasia, and recognises that too many communities still lack reliable, affordable and high quality broadband. This act takes the following steps to remedy this inequality.

2.) The Lets Get Wired Task-Force is hereby created to work alongside existing commissions , with an NPC chairman and 5 other representatives appointed by the President, along with one representative from each of Atlasia's region. This taskforce is hereby empowered to expand, improve and introduce high-speed broadband across Atlasia and its regions.

3.) $20 billion shall hereby be appropriated over the next 5 years to aims and objectives of the LGW Act. The $20 billion is hereby broken down in the following areas.  

3A.) $10 billion of this funding is for the up-front cost of installing new broadband route in areas currently not receiving an connection of least 25 megabits per second, an upload speed of at least 3 megabits per second.

3B.) $5 billion is hereby granted to the regions of Atlasia to spend on the improving and expanding broadband access.

3C.) $2 billion is hereby allocated for the installation of broadband for rural areas and areas under the oversight of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)

3D.) $1 billion is hereby allocated for a federal jobs training and apprenticeship scheme designed to train employees for the skills needed in the installation of broadband infrastructure.

3E.) $1 billion is hereby allocated for public schools and libraries to improve and expand broadband access.

3F.) $500 million is hereby allocated for hospitals and other medical facilities to invest, expand and improve tele-health programs for patients, with the funding designated for improving services for patients with historic difficulty in accessing broadband connections.

3EG) $500 million is hereby allocated to be granted to small business (those with less than 10 employees) to improve internet accessibility for the business, and for employees working from home. The maximum grant amount shall be capped at $5,000 per company.  

People's Regional Senate
Passed 6-0 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled,

Passed 7-0-0-2 in the People's House of Representatives