{"id":162240,"date":"2023-06-27T10:49:31","date_gmt":"2023-06-27T17:49:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=162240"},"modified":"2023-06-27T10:49:31","modified_gmt":"2023-06-27T17:49:31","slug":"president-biden-on-broadband-investments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=162240","title":{"rendered":"President Biden on Broadband Investments"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Washington, DC&#8230;Please.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you.  Please.  Thank you. Although I like the fact Joe Manchin is standing all this time.  (Laughter.)  He\u2019s a friend.  Hi, Joe Joe.  How are you, pal?  Before I begin, let me say a few words about the events in Russia.  And excuse me, I\u2019m a little \u2014 I have an allergy.  (Clears throat.)  The \u2014 the situation began to develop as it did \u2014 I directed my national security team to monitor it closely and to report to me hour by hour.  I instructed them to prepare for a range of scenarios.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/48HahDgRT1Y\" title=\"President Biden and Vice President Harris Deliver Remarks at an Investing in America Event\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>I also convened our key allies on \u2014 on a Zoom call to make sure we were all on the same page.  It\u2019s critical that we\u2019re in \u2014 coordinated in our response and coordinated in what \u2014 to anticipate.  We agree \u2014 they agreed with me that we had to make sure we gave Putin no excuse \u2014 let me emphasize \u2014 we gave Putin no excuse to blame this on the West or to blame this on NATO. <\/p>\n<p>We made clear that we were not involved.  We had nothing to do with it.  This was part of a struggle within the Russian system.<\/p>\n<p>I also talked at length with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine.  I\u2019ll be keeping in contact with him.  I may be speaking with him later today or earlier tomorrow morning to make sure we continue to remain on the same page.  I told him that no matter what happened in Russia \u2014 let me say it again: No matter what happened in Russia, we, the United States, would continue to support Ukraine\u2019s defense and its sovereignty and its territorial integrity.  He and I agreed to follow up and stay in constant contact. <\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m also in constant contact with our allies to maintain our coordination.  I\u2019ll be speaking with a head of state right after this meeting today and making sure we\u2019re on the same page.  I didn\u2019t get a chance to speak with one head of state yesterday.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re going to keep assessing the fallout of this weekend\u2019s events and the implications for Russia and Ukraine, but it\u2019s still too early to reach a definitive conclusion about where this is going.  The ultimate outcome of all this remains to be seen.<\/p>\n<p>But no matter what comes next, I will keep making sure that our allies and our partners are closely aligned in how we are reading and responding to the situation.  It\u2019s important we stay completely coordinated.<\/p>\n<p>And now, I\u2019d like to turn to today\u2019s announcement and begin by asking a question: Did you lay all that cable?  (Laughter.)  She\u2019s a Wonder Woman.  I was watching in the other room.  But I didn\u2019t realize \u2014 I didn\u2019t bring along all the cable \u2014 I \u2014 you know, the empty spools.  (Laughter.)  You\u2019re incredible.  Thank you.     <\/p>\n<p>Look, I want to thank you, Jeff, for taking the time, and thank you for the introduction.  There you are.   <\/p>\n<p>And I want to thank Kamala, who is there for every single important thing we do, and I\u2019m not sure how we do it without her.<\/p>\n<p>Two years ago, I asked her to lead an effort into high-speed Internet, and she\u2019s been doing an incredible job since then.<\/p>\n<p>So is Gina \u2014 Gina Raimondo, our Commerce Secretary.  And Shalanda Young, who is a jack of all trades, sitting here with our Office of Management and Budget.  She\u2019s played a major role along with Mitch Ron- \u2014 Mitch Landrieu, in our \u2014 on our \u2014 our infrastructure coordinator.<\/p>\n<p>And I want to thank \u2014 and I mean it sincerely \u2014 Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who is here with us today as well.<\/p>\n<p>And thank you to the leaders of state and local governments, labor unions, Tribal organizations, and telecom companies.<\/p>\n<p>Folks, we\u2019re \u2014 we\u2019re talking today about a major investment that we\u2019re making in affordable, high-speed Internet all across the country. <\/p>\n<p>As we started down, I turned to Jeff, and I said, \u201cYou know, this may be \u2014 I wonder if President Roosevelt felt a little like this as he talked about the electrification of our farmland.\u201d  I mean, think about it.  This is \u2014 it\u2019s almost similar.<\/p>\n<p>The \u2014 but to put in context, let\u2019s remember where we were two and a half years ago.  The pandemic was raging.  The economy was reeling.  And the problems we were facing started a lot earlier than that.<\/p>\n<p>For decades \u2014 for decades \u2014 and the middle class was hollowed out.  Too many good-paying manufacturing jobs moved overseas.  Public investment was slashed.  Core sources of our economic strength, like infrastructure, manufacturing, and innovation, were also hollowed out.<\/p>\n<p>All that is a result of a failed economic policy I call trickle-down economics \u2014 it was called \u201ctrickle-down economics\u201d as well \u2014 a belief that we should give tax cuts to the very wealthy and big corporations and expect it to trickle down to everyone else, benefit across the board.<\/p>\n<p>I ran for president with a fundamentally different vision: to build the economy from the middle out and the bottom up instead of the top down; to grow the economy by educating and empowering workers, by promoting competition to support small businesses, and investing in ourselves again for the first time in a long time.<\/p>\n<p>And that\u2019s what today\u2019s announcement is all about.<\/p>\n<p>You know, what we\u2019re doing is, as I said, not unlike what Franklin Delano Roosevelt did when he brought electricity to nearly every American home and farm in our nation.<\/p>\n<p>Today, Kamala and I are making an equally historic investment to connect everyone in America \u2014 everyone in America to high-speed Internet by \u2014 and affordable high-speed Internet \u2014 by 2030.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s the biggest investment in high-speed Internet ever, because for today\u2019s economy to work for everyone, Internet access is just as important as electricity was or water or other basic services.<\/p>\n<p>Think of the parents and students sitting outside of McDonald\u2019s or outside your office to be able to get on the Internet \u2014 in a parking lot just so their child can go online to do their homework.<\/p>\n<p>We just heard from Jeff who has to drive his kids all over town to find a good Internet connection.  But he\u2019s not alone in that; there are thousands of Americans doing the same thing.  Or small-business owners who are not able to reach more customers, or seniors unable to talk to their doctor through telemedicine. <\/p>\n<p>For around 24 million Americans across this country, there is no high-speed Internet.  And for millions more, their Internet connection is limited or unreliable.<\/p>\n<p>High-speed Internet isn\u2019t a luxury anymore; it\u2019s become an absolute necessity.  That\u2019s why we acted as soon as we did \u2014 as soon as we came to office \u2014 with the American Rescue Plan.<\/p>\n<p>It included $25 billion \u2014 $25 billion for high-speed Internet in places where it was out of reach, for schools and libraries to help students connect to the Internet if they couldn\u2019t do it at home.<\/p>\n<p>After that, we signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, a once-in-a-generation investment to rebuild roads, bridges, ports, airports, and deliver water and high-speed Internet to every American.  And again, Joe, thank you for your help on that.<\/p>\n<p>To date, over 35,000 projects are either funded or already underway across the country thanks to that law.  This includes hundreds of high-speed Internet projects in rural and Tribal communities.<\/p>\n<p>But \u2014 but, but, but \u2014 it\u2019s not enough to have access.  You need affordability in addition to access.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s why we worked with Internet service providers to bring down prices for Americans struggling with Internet payments.  It\u2019s called the Affordable Connectivity Program.  It\u2019s helping 19 million families save around $30 a month on their Internet bills, and some save a lot more.<\/p>\n<p>These savings matters in homes like the one I grew up in.<br \/>\nThat\u2019s money that can go for groceries, for the electric bill, for other things and other necessities.<\/p>\n<p>Kamala has traveled across the country, working with state and local officials, to make sure people know about this program.  And several groups and companies here today have helped millions of Americans sign up through the \u201cOnline For All\u201d campaign.  \u201cOnline For All\u201d campaign.<\/p>\n<p>Now, we\u2019re working with Congress to extend the bipar- \u2014 this bipartisan program.<\/p>\n<p>For folks looking for an affordable Internet ban [sic] \u2014 plan, just go to GetInternet.gov.  GetInternet.gov. <\/p>\n<p>And today, we\u2019re taking another big step toward Internet for all.  We\u2019re announcing over $40 billion to be distributed to 50 states, Washington, D.C., and territories to deliver high-speed Internet in places where there\u2019s neither service or it\u2019s too slow.<\/p>\n<p>And, folks, it includes rural communities like Appalachia \u2014 towns that Joe represents.  It includes Tribal lands from Alaska to the Dakotas, coastal towns from Hawaii to the Pacific Northwest.  It also includes suburban communities, even cities, neighborhoods, and \u2014 where there\u2019s a lot of people \u2014 you think it\u2019s automatic, but some still have to use dial-up connections to get online.<\/p>\n<p>The funding for each state and territory is based on their specific needs, how many of their residents currently lack Internet access, and what it will cost to provide that access.  <\/p>\n<p>With this funding, along with other federal investments, we\u2019re going to be able to connect every person in America to reliable high-speed Internet by 2030.  (Applause.) <\/p>\n<p>I promised to be a president for all Americans, whether or not they voted for me or whether or not they voted for these laws.  These investments will help all Americans.  We\u2019re not going to leave anyone behind.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t just take it from me.  I\u2019ve gotten letters and emails from across the country from people who are thrilled that after so many years of waiting, they\u2019re finally going to get high-speed Internet.<\/p>\n<p>A woman named Beth wrote me from Iowa.  She lives in a valley that\u2019s a dead zone to cell \u2014 to cell reception.  She\u2019s also gotten Internet via satellite, which goes out when it rains or snows.  She can\u2019t get emergency alerts.  Even in good weather, it\u2019s spotty.<\/p>\n<p>Then, last year, a local telecom company with just 13 employees sent Beth a postcard.  They had received funding from the American Rescue Plan.  Now they were installing fiber optic cable for homes like hers in the valley.<\/p>\n<p>And here\u2019s what she wrote to me, and I quote, \u201cYou can imagine my joy.\u201d  She called them right away.  And the next day, they sent someone out to survey her yard.  As Beth wrote, \u201cThis is the best thing that has happened to rural America since the Rural Electrification Act brought electricity to farms in the \u201830s and \u201840s.\u201d  End of quote.  Folks \u2014 (applause) \u2014<\/p>\n<p>Plus, this investment means something else as well: good-paying jobs.  Good-paying jobs.  (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>Just ask the folks at the IBEW or the Communication Workers or the Laborers Union.  They\u2019re putting thousands of people to work laying fiber optic cable across America.<\/p>\n<p>And the cable will be made in America.  Let me say that again: The cable is going to be made in America.  (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>And that also means good-paying manufacturing jobs.  It matters.<\/p>\n<p>Folks, here\u2019s the bottom line.  By investing in America, we are delivering results.  More than 13 million jobs created since I took office.  Nearly 800,000 manufacturing jobs. <\/p>\n<p>As all \u2014 a lot of folks are tired of hearing me say it: Where in God\u2019s name is it written that we can\u2019t be the leading manufacturer in the world again?  Where is that written?<\/p>\n<p>You know, since I\u2019ve been in office, we\u2019ve attracted $490 billion \u2014 $490 billion in private investment in new manufacturing like semiconductors, electric vehicles, batteries, fiber optic cable and we\u2019re talking about \u2014 that we\u2019re talking about here today.<\/p>\n<p>More people are starting small businesses than ever.  And everyone who applies for bal- \u2014 a small-business line is a sign of hope. <\/p>\n<p>All told, this is the strongest, fastest economic growth anywhere in the world \u2014 in the world.  Jobs are back.  (Applause.)  Manufacturing is back.<\/p>\n<p>And in many places that have been left behind, pride is coming back as well. <\/p>\n<p>You know, a lot of us lived in communities where they had thriving manufacturing bases and, seeking cheaper jobs, moved overseas.  Not only did you lose the jobs, but guess what happened?  You lost pride in that neighborhood \u2014 that neighborhood that you came from.  Everybody knew they worked at the steel mill.  They worked at their \u2014 they worked whatever it was.  In my case, it was coal mines and then s- \u2014 then steel.<\/p>\n<p>And, folks, let me close with this.  Connecting everyone to America \u2014 in America to affordable, reliable high-speed Internet is a bold goal, but we\u2019re a great nation.  Especially one as vast and geographically diverse as ours, it\u2019s even bolder. <\/p>\n<p>You know, we are all well on our way.  We\u2019re just going to have to keep it going.  <\/p>\n<p>And as \u2014 as was mentioned earlier, just remember, it\u2019s never been a good idea to bet against America.<\/p>\n<p>And let\u2019s remember who we are.  We\u2019re the United States of America.  (Applause.)  There is nothing beyond our capacity.<\/p>\n<p>May God bless you all.  And may God protect our troops.  Thank you, thank you, thank you for coming. <\/p>\n<p>Q    Mr. President, did you \u2014 did you lie about never speaking with Hunter about his business deals?  Did you lie about never speaking with Hunter about his business deals, sir?<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  No. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Washington, DC&#8230;Please. Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you. Please. Thank you. Although I like the fact Joe Manchin is standing all this time. (Laughter.) He\u2019s a friend. Hi, Joe Joe. How are you, pal? Before I begin, let me say a few words about the events in Russia. And excuse me, I\u2019m a little \u2014 I [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":162241,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,5,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-162240","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-government","category-news","last_archivepost"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Fullscreen-capture-6272023-104834-AM.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/162240","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=162240"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/162240\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":162242,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/162240\/revisions\/162242"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/162241"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=162240"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=162240"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=162240"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}