Senator Hassan and Internet Association Visit Claremont, NH to Discuss How the Internet Helps Boost Economic Growth in Claremont and Across New Hampshire

Claremont, NH – Internet Association (IA) and Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) today hosted an Internet Community Crawl to showcase the value of the internet for local businesses and the community in Claremont, New Hampshire. Participants toured four local businesses and community organizations, and the event concluded with a roundtable discussion on how federal policy can support the internet's role in driving economic growth. Senator Hassan highlighted the importance of reinstating net neutrality and expanding access to broadband in order to help innovative businesses – particularly those in rural parts of New Hampshire – succeed.

"The internet enhances economic and social opportunity in communities like Claremont around the country," said Michael Beckerman, IA President & CEO. "Americans now have more power to communicate, reach new audiences, and innovate using services enabled by the growing internet sector. I am proud to be joined today by Sen. Hassan, who continues to make internet-friendly policies a priority to support local economies."

“The internet is a powerful tool that helps support our innovative businesses and boost economic development in Claremont and across New Hampshire,” Senator Hassan said. “Today’s internet crawl reaffirmed that reinstating net neutrality and expanding access to broadband are both essential to helping to ensure that all of our entrepreneurs and small businesses – regardless of where they are located in the Granite State – have the opportunity to reap the benefits of the internet and thrive.”

According to Internet Association research, the internet economy supports 11 percent of New Hampshire's economy and directly employs more than 14,000 people in the Granite State.

Internet Association and Senator Hassan visited four businesses and community organizations to hear firsthand how the internet has enabled economic growth in Claremont.

The tour started on Pleasant Street, where the owner of REMIX Coffee Bar, Jim Neilson, and Jozach Jewelers owner Lori Roy highlighted the internet's ability to bring the community together and help grow family-owned businesses. Senator Hassan and participants then stopped at Sullivan County Humane Society, where Vice President Sherry Bell described how the internet helps the organization fulfill its mission of finding safe homes for animals. The crawl concluded at The Common Man Inn, where business and community leaders, including Common Man’s Director of Communications Erica Murphy discussed how the internet empowers growth in Claremont and communities around the nation.

Additional attendees included Internet Association member company representatives and Elyse Crossman, the Executive Director of the Greater Claremont Chamber of Commerce.

Senator Hassan has been a vocal advocate for net neutrality protections, and joined colleagues in introducing a bipartisan resolution to reinstate net neutrality. As a member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, Senator Hassan is committed to ensuring that all Granite Staters and innovative businesses have access to broadband – regardless of geographic location. As part of her efforts to close the urban-rural digital divide, Senator Hassan recently joined Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) in introducing the bipartisan Rural Reasonable and Comparable Wireless Act of 2018 to help ensure that rural areas have access to reliable and fast broadband. The Senator also introduced the bipartisan AIRWAVES Act, which would invest in rural broadband infrastructure in places like New Hampshire.

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