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As a co-chair of the Rural Broadband Caucus, I’ll continue to advocate for policies that connect New Mexicans to the internet and each other. Broadband is basic infrastructure. It’s as necessary now as electricity once was. Internet connections can help doctors consult on patient care, expand education, and open job opportunities. That is why I voted for the American Rescue Plan at the height of the pandemic. It provided $7.1 billion to reimburse schools and libraries – central points for connectivity in many communities – to purchase equipment such as hotspots, internet service, and computers on behalf of students and patrons, which are essential for homework, hybrid and remote learning. I also voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the largest broadband investment in our nation’s history. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law included $65 billion for broadband so every American has access to reliable broadband, especially rural and low-income families. This funding helped more than 184,000 households afford their monthly internet bill through the Affordable Connectivity Program. Additionally, it allocated $675 million to New Mexico from the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program to help get high-speed internet coverage across the state and billions of dollars more to improve broadband connectivity for Tribal and rural areas. |