• January 29, 2009

The $819 billion stimulus plan passed by the U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday includes a mandate that companies receiving funds to build new broadband networks adhere to openness conditions.

The bill includes $6 billion for new wired and wireless broadband networks. The Senate Appropriations Committee's version of the bill, made public Wednesday, includes the mandate that networks built with funds adhere to non-discrimination and network interconnection mandates.

Ben Scott, policy director of Free Press, praised lawmakers in a statement. "We applaud the House for adopting legislation that recognizes the crucial role broadband will play in revitalizing our economy," he said. "The openness conditions passed by the House and included in the Senate bill are a positive step forward and signal that Congress is committed to promoting the open Internet."--Wendy Davis