Recently, members of AFL’s executive leadership team visited the White House and met with Stephen Benjamin, who is Senior Advisor to the President and Director of the Office of Public Engagement. “The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the Biden-Harris Administration’s Build America, Buy America [BABA] policies and funding related to the expansion of broadband access and modernizing the power grid across America,” AFL said when announcing the meeting had taken place.
Jaxon Lang, AFL’s President and CEO, commented, “AFL is supportive of the Biden administration’s infrastructure initiatives, especially as they relate to universal broadband access and grid modernization. We believe that we are well-positioned to make significant contributions to these initiatives and are prepared to make the necessary investments.”
The company continued, “ By manufacturing all the necessary construction materials domestically, manufacturers have the opportunity to create jobs and deliver affordable, reliable high-speed internet service to millions of Americans. The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment [BEAD] program will use funds to purchase items made in the U.S., to support the deployment of the broadband infrastructure necessary for universal coverage.”
In a statement made on August 3, the White House said, “Across the high-speed internet industry, most electronics products are not currently manufactured in the U.S., but Buy America provisions in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are driving the onshoring of new manufacturing, particularly ahead of implementation of the $42.45 billion BEAD program.
“Buy America requirements are key to ensuring we maximize the economic potential for the Internet for All initiative. Manufacturing the iron, steel, fiber, and construction materials needed to deliver affordable, reliable high-speed internet service to millions of Americans is an opportunity to create jobs right here at home. Funds for the BEAD program will be used to purchase items manufactured in the U.S.”