Greater Access to High Speed Internet Coming to New Orleans and Baton Rouge

Washington, DC – July 17, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — Rep. Richmond (LA-02) issued the following statement after the White House announced that New Orleans and Baton Rouge will be included among the twenty-seven cities in the President’s ConnectHome initiative. The initiative brings communities, the private sector, and federal government together to expand high speed broadband, access to more families across the country:

“Access to the Internet has become an crucial part of everyday life, yet thousands of families across the country remain disconnected,” said Rep. Richmond. “While many students are fortunate to have internet access at home, too many low-income children in Louisiana are disconnected every afternoon when school ends. This break in access widens the achievement gap, denies hardworking students the ability to do research and communicate digitally with their teachers and other students.”

“Through ConnectHome, high speed internet will be made available to more households throughout New Orleans and Baton Rouge helping to close the digital divide in Louisiana.”

ConnectHome is the next step in the President’s continued efforts to expand high-speed broadband to all Americans and builds on his ConnectED initiative that is on track to connect 99 percent of K-12 students to high-speed Internet in their classrooms and libraries over the next five years.

The pilot program is launching in twenty-seven cities and one tribal nation and will initially reach more than 275,000 low-income households – and nearly 200,000 children – with the support they need to access the Internet at home. Internet Service Providers, non-profits and the private sector will offer broadband access, technical training, digital literacy programs, and devices for residents in assisted housing units.