WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today celebrated the two-year anniversary of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law at an event with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Reps. Yvette Clarke (NY-09) and Marc Veasey (TX-33); FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks, and civil rights leaders to celebrate the FCC’s vote on congressionally-mandated rules to prevent digital discrimination.  

“What this legislation is saying is that whatever community you are in and whatever your income level is you absolutely have the same right to opportunity as every other American,” said Senator Welch. “You won’t have that opportunity unless we make certain that you get the [broadband] buildout in your communities. That’s what this is about.” 

Senator Welch also applauded the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which has saved more than 21 million households over $500 million per month on their internet bills and helped more than 24,000 households in Vermont cut the costs of their broadband bills. This program, which is administered by the FCC, will run out of funding early next year.  

Watch the event livestream here: 

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law–formally the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act–was signed into law by President Biden on November 15, 2021. Senator Welch supported the bill as a member of the House of Representatives. 

Earlier this year, Sen. Welch celebrated the Biden-Harris Administration’s announcement that Vermont will receive nearly $230 million to deploy broadband throughout the state as part of the Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. Established in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the BEAD program is the largest federal broadband investment in United States history, providing $42.45 billion to expand high-speed internet access by funding planning, infrastructure deployment, and adoption programs across the country.  

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