WASHINGTON, March 20, 2024 – The White House Budget proposal for fiscal year 2025 Last week, $6 billion was allocated to improve internet affordability for consumers and $112 million to expand rural broadband infrastructure.
Proposed budget highlights specific broadband and technology initiatives as essential to the president joe biden's economic vision is to reduce costs, stimulate job growth, promote manufacturing, and ensure protection for American consumers.
Additionally, the budget allocates more than $20 billion to strengthen semiconductor manufacturing leadership and establish innovation hubs in underserved regions.
Additionally, he is prioritizing attracting top technology talent to federal agencies and implementing the administration's October 2023 executive order on the safe development of artificial intelligence.
However, the realization of these ambitious plans will depend on a successful legislative process in Congress, with approval timelines subject to negotiation and possible delays. Because the fiscal year typically begins on October 1, Congress aims to pass budget resolutions and spending bills well in advance to ensure seamless government operations.
FCC Affordable Connectivity Program – $6 billion
The bulk of broadband funding in the FY25 budget is designated for affordable connectivity programs, and the budget incorporates the administration's pending funding. Request for additional $6 billion To continue the program until 2024.
Additionally, the Administration has made a clear commitment to working with Congress to secure additional funding for ACP initiatives beyond 2025.
According to the proposed budget, ACP is helping 23 million households save more than $500 million each month on their internet costs.
The program was established with a $14 billion allocation from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. The program is funded by Scheduled to last until Aprilwill be the last month it will be fully supported.
The program offers low-income households a $30 monthly discount on internet service and eligible households living on tribal land or high-cost areas up to a $75 monthly discount. In addition, you will also receive his one-time discount of up to $100 off the price of electronic devices.
USDA's ReConnect Program – $112 million
The 2025 budget proposes allocating $112 million to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's ReConnect program.
USDA Rural eConnectivity Loans and Grants “ReConnect” Program It funds organizations that deploy broadband infrastructure in underserved areas, with a particular focus on tribal areas.
Recipients of ReConnect funds must ensure that their broadband networks achieve symmetric speeds of at least 100 megabits per second.
Through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, the Department of Agriculture was provided $2.3 billion to expand broadband access to rural areas across 35 states and territories. These efforts are expected to connect more than 137,000 households, according to the budget proposal.
CHIPS and science law – $20 billion
The majority of the funding allocated through the proposed 2025 Technology Initiatives Budget is directed toward significant investments in the U.S. semiconductor industry, in accordance with the provisions outlined in this bill. 2022 CHIPS and Science Law.
The $20 billion investment will be distributed across major research institutions to advance U.S. leadership in semiconductor research, development and production.
At the National Science Foundation, these investments will cover a variety of areas, including supporting regional innovation initiatives and funding emerging technologies such as AI and quantum information science. quantum computingwill launch initiatives aimed at promoting human resource development in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Under this agenda, the 2025 Budget aims to protect supply chains and national security interests, strengthen America's leadership in manufacturing, and increase the availability of accurate economic data about the nation.
The proposed allocation for FY25 is an increase of $1.2 billion from the FY23 allocation.
EDA's Technology Hub Program – Over $4 Billion
The FY25 budget allocates $4 billion in mandatory funding for the U.S. Economic Development Administration. Regional Technology and Innovation Hub Programwas enacted as part of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022.
Tech Hubs Program The program provides funding and support to establish hubs that serve as centers of innovation, collaboration, and economic growth.
These hubs are designed to bring together companies, research institutions, entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders to accelerate the development and commercialization of new technologies, foster job creation, and strengthen the competitiveness of local economies. I am.
Additionally, $41 million in discretionary funding is allocated to small grants aimed at fostering technological and innovative advances in underrepresented regions.
In summary, with this funding, EDA will establish dynamic and targeted regional technology hubs to foster geographic diversity in innovation and create high-quality products within underserved and vulnerable communities nationwide. It will be possible to create employment opportunities.
The EDA-supported technology hub will focus on advances in a variety of technologies across multiple industries, including information technology, software development, agriculture and food technology, artificial intelligence and machine learning, Internet of Things “IoT” devices, and other connectivity solutions. doing.
In line with CHIPS and the Science Act, the Department of Commerce has announced 31 technologies aimed at transforming communities across the country into hubs of innovation essential to U.S. competitiveness, as outlined in the fiscal year 2025 budget. announced the hub.
Executive Order on Artificial Intelligence – $65 million
The budget also proposes $65 million to the Department of Commerce to oversee, regulate, and advance artificial intelligence, with a focus on protecting Americans from societal risks.
This funding will enable the Department of Commerce to effectively implement key aspects of the Administration. Executive Order 14110titled “Development and Utilization of Safe, Secure, and Reliable Artificial Intelligence.''
Specifically, the National Institute of Standards and Technology will establish the National AI Safety Institute to operationalize NIST's AI Risk Management Framework.
This includes developing guidelines, tools, benchmarks, and best practices to assess and mitigate potentially harmful AI features. Activities include assessments such as red team exercises to identify and address AI-related risks.
The institute's responsibilities extend to providing technical guidance to regulators considering rulemaking and enforcement actions on a variety of AI-related issues.
These include authenticating human-created content, watermarking AI-generated content, combating algorithmic discrimination, ensuring transparency, and accelerating the adoption of privacy-preserving AI.
Additionally, the institute will play a vital role in shaping the workforce of the future, trained in the safe and reliable use of AI technology.
Additional funding directed toward AI efforts is designated for government agencies to appoint a “chief AI officer” who will be responsible for overseeing the use of AI technology.
These employees will work to implement new AI technologies to improve government services and establish critical safeguards to protect public rights and safety in AI applications.
US Digital Services Team – Exact budget allocation not specified
The budget proposal is usa digital servicesrecruits top technology talent from the private sector to tackle complex challenges within federal agencies.
USDS personnel located in various departments will enhance existing teams with new skills and expertise. Over the past decade, USDS has played a pivotal role in modernizing agency operations by mitigating the risks associated with large-scale IT projects that have historically been prone to failure.
For example, USDS helps the Federal Communications Commission expand broadband access, the Internal Revenue Service upgrades outdated systems to better serve taxpayers, and the Department of Health and Human Services streamlines the Medicaid enrollment process. .
The budget also includes an additional $32 million for USDS, the General Services Administration, and the Office of Personnel Management. Rapid increase in AI talent nationwide A federal government-wide effort.
GSA Technology Modernization Fund – $75 million
Budget 2025 allocates an additional $75 million to the Technology Modernization Fund. This fund is an unrestricted fund that will be used to strengthen cybersecurity and modernize outdated IT infrastructure across various federal departments and agencies administered by the General Services Administration.
The American Rescue Plan Act previously increased the fund by more than $1 billion, according to Justification for GSA's budgetTMF “plans to allocate the majority of its current capital and expects to announce several large value investments in the first half of 2024.”
Strengthening antitrust enforcement – $288 million
The budget proposes $288 million for the Justice Department's antitrust division.
The $288 million includes $13.7 million and 83 positions to strengthen antitrust enforcement, $14.9 million for technology and data modernization support, and $23.9 million to maintain IT operations. Contains dollars.
Its purpose is to strengthen antitrust enforcement efforts, foster greater competition in the marketplace, and ultimately raise wages for Americans while lowering costs.
This represents an increase of $63 million from the 2023 enacted level and a $103 million increase from the 2021 enacted level.
Addressing emerging cyber threats – $32 million
This budget strengthens the Department of Justice's ability to combat cyber threats by strengthening the FBI's cyber and counterintelligence investigative capabilities.
This includes a $25 million increase to strengthen cyber response capabilities to maintain the FBI's cyber intelligence, counterintelligence, and analytical capabilities.
In addition, $5 million is allocated to expand a new division within the Department of Justice's National Security Agency dedicated to combating cyber threats.
Additionally, the budget allocates $2 million to the Department of Justice to support implementation of Executive Order 14110, “Development and Use of Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence.''
