There's been plenty of coverage of the White House's announcement today that it's handing out $795 million in grants and loans to help establish broadband access in underserved parts of the country (mostly rural areas where it's been expensive to build infrastructure). I'm still not convinced this program is actually needed, but it's popular politically. However, as Broadband Reports notes, at the very same time the White House was talking up the importance of broadband investment, House Appropriations Chair David Obey was proposing an amendment to shift $602 million in broadband funding to paying for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Obey apparently feels that broadband is an area "that no longer require[s] funding" and has "sufficient funds on hand."

Can we sell them the digital economy bill concept?