ICYMI: Marking Two-Year Anniversary of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Senator Hassan Visits Keene to Discuss Progress Made in Expanding High-Speed Internet Access
KEENE – In case you missed it, Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel hosted a roundtable yesterday at Keene State College on the progress that has been made in expanding high-speed internet access in New Hampshire. Today is the two-year anniversary of the bipartisan infrastructure law passing the Senate, which Senator Hassan helped develop and pass into law. It has so far delivered nearly $200 million to New Hampshire to help expand access to high-speed internet.
Read more from The Keene Sentinel:
By Trisha Nail
State and local officials, telecom leaders and advocates for high-speed Internet gathered at Keene State’s Alumni Center on Wednesday morning to connect with Sen. Maggie Hassan and Jessica Rosenworcel, chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission.
At the public meeting, the group of 10 officials and advocates reviewed the state’s efforts to expand the reach of broadband and fiber optic Internet to underserved communities and residents.
The effects of the $1 trillion 2021 bipartisan infrastructure bill on growth of broadband services were central to the discussion.
[…]Hassan recognized that the bill passed the U.S. Senate nearly two years ago on Aug. 10, 2021, when senators voted 69-30 in favor of the legislation.
She’s since secured $122 million for broadband infrastructure improvements from the U.S. Treasury’s Capital Projects Fund — supported by money from the American Rescue Plan Act — and New Hampshire received $196.6 million through the BEAD.
[…]Rosenworcel last visited Keene State’s campus in 2017, when Hassan had organized a meeting focused on the desire to grow the state’s broadband capabilities.
Concluding the meeting, Rosenworcel told the group she felt their discussion was a model example for state and local governments driving for change at a time when Internet has become a necessity.
“We have funds and programs like never before, but in the end, we want to push it to the states and we need to push it to people who know what’s going on in their own backyard,” she said.
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