(Washington,
D.C.) – Today U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) applauded the announcement made
by Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke that Washington state would receive a $54 million
federal investment to build new broadband lines to communities across the
state. The funding was included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
(ARRA) which Senator Murray helped pass into law. The funding will go to the
Northwest Open Access Network (NoaNet) a non-profit corporation of public
utility districts that has partnered to provide access to libraries, hospitals,
businesses and homeowners.
“This investment will help bring affordable and
high-speed broadband access to underserved communities across Washington
state,” said Senator Murray. “Broadband internet is no longer a
luxury, it’s a necessity—for small business looking to expand and create jobs,
and for communities hoping to provide families with access to better health
care and better education. I was proud to fight for investments in broadband
expansion that will take us closer toward our goal of bringing high-speed
internet to every corner of Washington state.”
This investment will allow NoaNet to directly connect as
many as 285 community institutions to affordable broadband. As many as 206,400
people stand to benefit as do 14,000 businesses. In addition, the
expansion of broadband access will support economic growth in communities
across Washington state and will directly create more than 100
jobs.
Senator
Murray is a longtime supporter of expanding broadband access to communities
throughout Washington state. Senator Murray has introduced and supported
several bills that aim to bring high-speed internet access to rural areas
including her
bill to expand broadband construction by $4 billion, the Community
Telecommunications Planning Act, the Broadband Internet Access Act and the
Rural Broadband Enhancement Act. She has also worked to include funding for
access programs in the Farm Bill and Recovery Act. In 2000, Senator Murray
chaired a conference in Spokane, aimed at helping small and rural communities
take advantage of new telecommunications technologies.
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