While delivering a speech in West Columbia, S.C. on Thursday to tout his so-called "Bidenomics," President Joe Biden appeared to take a shot at U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) for boasting about $1.4 billion in federal funding for Alabama to expand broadband internet access.
Tuberville voted against the legislation authorizing the funding in 2021 but later said it was "great to see Alabama receive crucial funds to boost ongoing broadband efforts."
Biden slammed congressional Republicans on Thursday for wanting to repeal the INVEST in America Act but then claiming credit for the jobs created in their states.
In referring to Tuberville, Biden stumbled over his attempt to label him as the former coach at Auburn University. Instead, he called Tuberville "former coach of the university."
"[There's] a Republican senator from Alabama - former coach of the university - strongly opposed the bipartisan infrastructure law. He's now hailing its passage. He said, quote, 'Great to see Alabama receive crucial funds to boost ongoing broadband efforts.'"
Biden chuckled and agreed, "Yeah, it's great because I'm one of those guys that believes in conversion."
Last week in Chicago, the President admonished Tuberville for hailing the legislation's passage during another Bidenomics speech.
However, Tuberville's office disputes Biden's framing of the funding.
"The Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill was 2,702 pages and cost $1.2 trillion," a spokesman for Tuberville told 1819 News. "The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) allocated $42.45 billion from the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program to expand high-speed internet access."
"That is 3.54% of the total funds of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill," the spokesman added. "Of that $42.45 billion to expand broadband – Alabama received $1.4 billion."
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email trent.baker@1819news.com.
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