Dear friend,

Millions of Americans have been asked to stay home from work and school in
order to stop the spread of coronavirus. That's hard to do without access
to high speed broadband.

The United States still has a huge digital divide. Many homes don't have
reliable internet or broadband. Some workers are using dialup to connect
to their job. Some parents are using cell phones to get access to their
children's schoolwork. It's unfair and unjust that millions of Americans
are going every day without access to the internet during this pandemic.

Congress is debating the next round of stimulus, and is considering
including billions for broadband. But it's in danger of getting cut out
once again. We need your help right now to make sure this passes.

[ [link removed] ]Sign the petition: Tell Congress to include broadband for all in the
next stimulus bill!

Right now we don't know how long the "stay home" orders will last. Even if
they are lifted soon, there's still the possibility of another necessary
quarantine later this year if coronavirus infections return.

But this isn't a new problem. Even before the coronavirus pandemic hit,
the United States had one of the worst digital divides among major
economies. Anywhere between 25 million and 160 million Americans don't
have reliable broadband.^1

The problem is worse in rural America and in the inner cities. Many
communities and neighborhoods have been red-lined for decades, as the big
cable companies focus only on wealthy customers and leave whole
populations out.

America is going to need a major economic recovery effort to avoid a
severe recession. Universal, affordable broadband should be a centerpiece
of that work. Now is the time to tell Congress to pass it into law as part
of the next stimulus bill. Will you help?

[ [link removed] ]Add your name and tell Congress: Include broadband for all in the next
stimulus bill!

 

Thanks for taking action in this urgent moment,

Robert and the team at Demand Progress

 

[ [link removed] ]DONATE

Sources:
1. Pew Trust, "America's Digital Divide," [ [link removed] ]July 26, 2019.
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