Around 8.5 million homes and businesses nationwide do not have Internet access, the White House reported.

“This announcement is part of president’s broader effort to bring investment, jobs and opportunity directly to working and middle-class families,” said a government official. This will be the first in a three-week series of “Investing in America” events in which President Biden and other officials will highlight how money from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act and other legislation passed will boost infrastructure across the country.

The newest funding will go to states with the most need as part of the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program — a major provision of Biden’s $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021, in which each state could receive $100 million or more from the government to boost connectivity.

States won’t get all the money right away, with the government allocating only 20% of the infrastructure funds during this first round of payouts as part of an 18-month rollout that will continue through the end of 2025.

Biden frequently cites efforts to boost Internet access when talking about investments among the middle class, arguing that it is vital to be able to compete economically in the 21st century.

In a call with reporters to discuss the announcement, White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients singled out North Carolina farmers who don’t have Internet access, so they must rely on word of mouth to sell their grain and livestock.

“We have a historic opportunity here to make a real difference in people’s lives, and making sure we fulfill that potential is what we do every day,” Zients added.

pll/jf/adr