HTTP Statement on Infrastructure Bill: ‘Universal Broadband is a Latino Community Imperative’

Washington, DC (November 15, 2021) --HTTP-- Hispanic Technology and Telecommunications Partnership issued the following statement from Executive Director Alejandro Roark on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed into law by President Biden: 

“HTTP applauds the significant bipartisan effort that made passage of this once in a generation commitment to the health and economic wellbeing of the American People possible. The IIJA is a long overdue investment which gives states and local communities the tools and resources that they need to create good paying jobs, address the climate crisis, and extend broadband opportunity to historically unserved and underserved communities.

HTTP member organizations look forward to continuing to partner with the Federal Government and local communities across the country to ensure that infrastructure renewal addresses the compounding barriers currently stalling broadband adoption by the Latino community in rural and urban settings alike. 

Achieving universal broadband access is a Latino community imperative. It will require leadership from federal agencies tasked with implementing President Biden’s vision, along with state and local governments, and private industry to reimagine the way that we make this essential service available so that no one is left offline. For Latino, Black and Indigenous communities of color broadband means access new modes of learning, access to healthcare, the ability to prepare for the jobs of the future, and most importantly the ability to co-create an inclusive tech future where everyone has the opportunity to build, connect and thrive in our 21st century digital economy”