Honolulu Reporter

(Washington, DC) – On April 27, 2023, Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) joined the White House, U.S. Tresury, Hawaiʻi Delegation, and Governor Josh Green to announce $115.5 million in funding to expand broadband in Hawaiʻi. The Capital Projects Funding is a part of President Biden’s Invest in America agenda.

Specifically, the funding will implement two programs:

• $101.7 million investment in the Hawaiʻi Subsea Middle Mile Program to address the subsea cable infrastructure needed to provide high-speed internet access to the islands.
• $8 million investment in the Hawaiʻi Public Housing Authority Connection Program to update housing facilities with provide residents with high-speed internet.

“I am thrilled to help announce this critical funding to invest in broadband infrastructure in Hawaiʻi and expand reliable, high-speed internet access for our rural communities. In Hawaiʻi, our rural communities are spread out across many islands in which residents must travel by plane to access essential services.  The digital divide is real in Hawaiʻi and we need to do everything possible to increase digital literacy, said Rep. Jill Tokuda. “The expansion of high-speed internet will help lessen the burden by increasing access for our teachers and students, to help people connect with essential telehealth services, digital commerce for small businesses and farms, online classes for degrees or career and technical training, and simply keeping in touch with loved ones on a neighbor island or abroad. Mahalo to President Biden and the U.S. Treasury for awarding this funding to expand access to services for our communities and residents.”

“Access to reliable internet is critical for our keiki to be able to learn, for our kupuna to access telemedicine, and for our small businesses to access markets around the world,” said Senator Hirono. “But too many communities in our state, especially on the neighbor islands, still do not have access to reliable internet. Our children shouldn’t have to sit in a Zippy’s parking lot just to do their homework, and this funding will help ensure they don’t have to. This investment will help keiki and families connect with their schools, their workplaces, and their loved ones. This funding is one more way Democrats are investing in our communities and helping ensure our children are set up for lifetimes of success.”

Original source can be found here.