Our Broadband Breakfast Live Online events take place on Wednesday at 12 Noon ET. Watch the event on Broadband Breakfast, or REGISTER HERE to join the conversation.

Wednesday, February 8, 2023, 12 Noon ET – The Build America, Buy America Law’s Impact on Infrastructure

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s guidelines for the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program mandate compliance with the Build America, Buy America Act, which favors domestic manufacturing. Many industry experts have warned that this raises prices on goods necessary for broadband deployment, and are urging the NTIA to not only follow through on its proposal to waive the requirement for the Middle Mile grant program but extend that waiver to the BEAD program. Whether or not this happens, what will the Build America, Buy America Act’s impact be on the country’s digital infrastructure? 

This FREE Broadband Breakfast Live Online event will feature insights from the exclusive Broadband Breakfast Club report for the month of February. Access the full report by registering here. 

Panelists:

• Melissa Newman, Vice President of Government Affairs, Telecommunications Industry Association
• Ahmad Hathout, Managing Editor, Broadband Breakfast
• Drew Clark (moderator), Editor and Publisher, Broadband Breakfast

Panelist resources:

• In State of the Union Address, Joe Biden Underlines Importance of ‘Buy America’ Rules for Broadband, Broadband Breakfast, February 8, 2023
• What to Know About Build America, Buy America Provisions in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: Will providers be required to use equipment that is not readily available within the United States?, Broadband Breakfast, February 7, 2023

Special presentation:

• Gina Benjamin, Deputy Director, National Digital Inclusion Alliance

Presentation resources:

• Net Inclusion Conference (register HERE)
• National Digital Inclusion Alliance

Ahmad Hathout, Managing Editor of Broadband Breakfast, has spent the last near-decade reporting on the Canadian telecommunications and media industries for leading publications. He is responsible for leading Broadband Breakfast’s hard news coverage, and is the author of the February 2023 Breakfast Club Report, What to Know About Build America, Buy America Provisions in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Melissa Newman has over 25 years’ experience in government affairs for the telecommunications sector.  Prior to Melissa joining TIA as Vice President of Government Affairs, she worked at Transit Wireless heading the Legal and External Affairs departments; Wilkinson Barker Knauer, a premier telecommunications law firm in Washington, DC; CenturyLink (now Lumen) as Vice President, Federal Policy and Regulatory Affairs; and as Deputy Division Chief of the Policy Division in the Common Carrier Bureau of the FCC.

Drew Clark (moderator) is CEO of Breakfast Media LLC. He has led the Broadband Breakfast community since 2008. An early proponent of better broadband, better lives, he initially founded the Broadband Census crowdsourcing campaign for broadband data. As Editor and Publisher, Clark presides over the leading media company advocating for higher-capacity internet everywhere through topical, timely and intelligent coverage. Clark also served as head of the Partnership for a Connected Illinois, a state broadband initiative.

Gina D. Cooper Benjamin has served as the Deputy Director for National Digital Inclusion Alliance since 2021. She holds vital roles in the organization, leading NDIA’s team management, strategic priorities, and organizing the annual Net Inclusion conference. She has 20 years of experience working in under-resourced communities and is particularly passionate about serving Black and Brown youth.

Photo illustration by Billion Photos/Adobe Stock

As with all Broadband Breakfast Live Online events, the FREE webcasts will take place at 12 Noon ET on Wednesday.

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See a complete list of upcoming and past Broadband Breakfast Live Online events.