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AMSTERDAM, NY—Congressman Paul D. Tonko announced that his ACCESS BROADBAND Act has been included as part of the major infrastructure bill now moving through the chamber. The legislation would help expand broadband access in underserved areas and create a simpler process for small businesses and local economic developers to access federal broadband resources. Tonko also worked to ensure that more than $100 billion in broadband funding would be included to expand high-speed internet access especially in areas that are currently underserved.

“Despite the importance of broadband access in our technology-driven world, there remain significant gaps across every state that are barring our students, teachers, workers, health care providers and emergency responders from accessing internet services,” Congressman Tonko said. “This crisis has exacerbated the many challenges Americans are already facing receiving this access. I am proud to support this comprehensive plan and to have the ACCESS BROADBAND Act included in this package. I will continue fighting to improve and expand broadband access so that our Capital Region and beyond are delivered the services they need.”

Earlier this year, Tonko sent a scathing letter to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai including numerous testimonials from Capital Region constituents, effectively disproving the agency’s longstanding claim that New York State residents are already serviced by existing providers. 

The House infrastructure bill delivers affordable high-speed broadband internet access to all parts of the country by investing $100 billion to promote competition for broadband internet infrastructure to unserved and underserved rural, suburban, and urban communities, prioritizing communities in persistent poverty and ensuring that broadband-related support is being administered in an efficient and financially sustainable manner.