2024 -- S 2490 | |
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LC005004 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024 | |
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S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N | |
RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO EXTEND | |
FUNDING FOR THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM | |
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Introduced By: Senator Hanna M. Gallo | |
Date Introduced: February 14, 2024 | |
Referred To: Placed on the Senate Consent Calendar | |
1 | WHEREAS, Access to quality and affordable broadband is essential for living in the 21st |
2 | century, helping Americans do their jobs, participate in school, access health care, and stay |
3 | connected; and |
4 | WHEREAS, The Affordable Connectivity Program was created as part of the bipartisan |
5 | Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to help bridge the “digital divide” that exists between |
6 | those who have access to modern information and communications technology and those who do |
7 | not; and |
8 | WHEREAS, The Affordable Connectivity Program supports approximately 23 million |
9 | low-income families, including more than 80,000 Rhode Island households, providing those |
10 | eligible with monthly discounts toward Internet services and a one-time discount towards the |
11 | purchase of a laptop, desktop computer or tablet from participating providers; and |
12 | WHEREAS, Rhode Island has received approximately $35 million in funding through the |
13 | Affordable Connectivity Program as of January 2024; and |
14 | WHEREAS, The $14 billion dollars appropriated by Congress for the Affordable |
15 | Connectivity Program faces exhaustion this spring; now, therefore be it |
16 | RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby respectfully requests |
17 | Congress to renew and extend funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program to ensure low- |
18 | income households continue to have access to high-speed Internet; and be it further |
19 | RESOLVED, That this Senate hereby urges and requests each member of the Rhode |
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1 | Island Congressional Delegation to support continued funding of the Affordable Connectivity |
2 | Program so that low-income Rhode Island households can continue to receive the support they |
3 | need to participate in the digital marketplace; and be it further |
4 | RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
5 | transfer duly certified copies of this resolution to the presiding officers of the Senate and the |
6 | House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States of America and to each member of |
7 | the Rhode Island Congressional delegation. |
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LC005004 | |
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