Senator Murray Announces Nearly $16 Million From Her Digital Equity Act for WA State to Implement Its Digital Equity Plan—and Over $32 Million for High-Speed Internet in Tribal Communities

Nearly $16 million announced for WA state’s Digital Equity Plan comes from the Digital Equity Act Murray authored and got passed into law—the law provided $2.75 billion for digital equity nationwide

Murray also announced over $32 million for WA Tribes to provide high-speed internet for Tribal households—$6 million for Lower Elwha Tribal Community, $6 million for Makah Tribe, $1 million for Spokane Tribe, $8.4 million for Swinomish Tribal Community,  $10.4 million for Tulalip Tribes

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced $15.9 million for Washington state to implement its comprehensive Digital Equity Plan to expand high-speed internet across the state, provide digital literacy education, and subsidize internet connection plans for low-income households, among other initiatives. The funding comes from the Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program Senator Murray established in her Digital Equity Act, which she introduced in 2019 and got it passed into law as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2022.

Senator Murray’s Digital Equity Act provided $2.75 billion to establish three federal grant programs, administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), to promote digital equity nationwide by building capacity within states through formula grants, spurring targeted action through competitive grants, and supporting research and evidence-based policymaking. Overall, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Murray helped pass included $65 billion to ensure that every family in America has access to reliable, high speed internet.

Senator Murray also announced today over $32.3 million in Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP) awards for the Makah, Spokane, and Tulalip Tribes, and the Lower Elwha and Swinomish Indian Tribal Communities, to provide high-speed internet access for Tribal households and digital literacy opportunities. TBCP is a nearly $3 billion grant program that offers grants to eligible Tribal entities for high-speed internet deployment, digital inclusion, workforce development, telehealth, and distance learning. The funding comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the 2021 government funding bill Senator Murray helped pass into law.

“This funding represents a major step toward closing the digital divide in Washington state—making sure that everyone, no matter where they live, can make the most of a high-speed internet connection to work, study, get health care, and connect with their loved ones,” Senator Murray said. “I wrote the Digital Equity Act before the pandemic because it was clear even then that high-speed internet access is no longer a luxury, but a necessity—and this has only become more true in the years since. Today’s announcement means Washington state will be able to begin implementing its comprehensive digital equity plan—bringing broadband services and digital skills to everyone and eliminating barriers that prevent people from affording and affording and taking advantage of a reliable internet connection.”

“I’m also excited to see more than $32 million going out to Tribes across our state to provide high-speed internet access in Tribal communities, which have some of the lowest rates of broadband access in the country. The investments we made in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are helping us make major headway in better connecting Tribal communities and ensuring folks have the tools and technology they need to get online,” Murray continued. “I worked so hard to pass the Digital Equity Act because I know having reliable internet access opens so many doors for families and communities—the funding announced today will really make a difference.”

In addition to the $15,983,291.58 capacity grant for Washington state to implement its Digital Equity Plan, Murray announced the following awards for Tribes in Washington state from the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program:

• $6,052,974 for the Lower Elwha Tribal Community to provide high-speed internet access to 250 households via fiber to the premises and fixed wireless technologies across and near the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. 
• $6,166,003 for the Makah Indian Tribe to provide high-speed internet access to around 160 households via fiber to the premises across the Makah Indian Tribe. 
• $1,158,920 for the Spokane Tribe to provide digital literacy and technology equity opportunities for Tribal community members. 
• $8,463,607 for the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community to provide access to high-speed internet to approximately 100 households via fiber to the premises across the Swinomish Indian Tribe’s Tribal lands.
• $10,491,390 for the Tulalip Tribes of Washington to provide high-speed internet access to approximately 650 households via fiber to the premises across and near the Tulalip Tribes. 

Senator Murray has consistently fought to improve digital equity across the country and within Washington state. Murray first introduced the Digital Equity Act in 2019 and worked hard to build a robust coalition of 100+ organizations to secure strong bipartisan consensus and support for her legislation, ultimately passing it as a part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

In 2022, NTIA began awarding $60 million to states, D.C., and territories from the State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program—Washington state received a $1.08 million planning grant to develop a statewide digital equity plan outlining how the state will promote digital equity, support digital inclusion activities, and build capacity for broadband adoption. In March 2024, Senator Murray announced an initial $811 million in available funding from the program to help states and Tribes close the digital divide.

Funding from Senator Murray’s Digital Equity Act can be used in all kinds of ways to support Washington state families and our economy:

• Workforce: supporting the work of local workforce boards, community and technical colleges, and community-based organizations by increasing access to devices across underserved populations, increasing the digital skills of Washington’s current and future workforce, and by increasing the accessibility of state and local resources to workers.
• Education: supporting Washington’s public schools, community and technical colleges, and community-based organizations as they work to integrate technology literacy and fluency in their curriculum, reducing barriers and advancing access to technology, including digital devices, internet connection, and digital skills training.
• Health Care: supporting the Washington Department of Health and the Washington State Health Care Authority in expanding opportunities for Washingtonians to access telehealth services, reducing the need to travel long distances in rural areas for preventative and specialist care. Additionally, the digital equity funds could be used to work with partner organizations to expand the availability and awareness of culturally sensitive and linguistically accessible online healthcare resources and services.
• And so much more.

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