President Biden Congratulates CWA on Broadband Expansion

Last week, during a visit to Raleigh, N.C., President Biden announced an investment of $82 million in additional American Rescue Plan funds to connect 16,000 N.C. homes and businesses to affordable, high-speed internet. In his speech, the President expressed his gratitude to CWA members who are building, maintaining, and supporting broadband networks.

President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the American Rescue Plan are providing $90 billion nationwide specifically for broadband expansion. For North Carolinians, Biden’s goal is to connect every household and business to high-speed internet by the end of 2029. As the President noted in his remarks, this investment is intended to create good-paying jobs, and members of CWA’s Broadband Brigade have been working with state and local officials to ensure that the work is being done by experienced, well-trained union members instead of low-road contractors.

Biden also took this time to remind the audience that the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which launched in 2021, will no longer be accepting applications as of February 8, 2024, if funding is not extended. This program has helped 22 million Americans afford high-speed internet, increasing demand and providing work for CWA members. CWA and other supporters of the ACP are holding a “Don’t Disconnect Us” day of action today to push Congress to fund the ACP. Click here to take action.

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This post originally appeared on cwa-union.org.