Yesterday afternoon, Commerce Deputy Secretary Don Graves joined Maryland Governor Wes Moore to celebrate the allocation of nearly $268 million to the state of Maryland under the Commerce Department’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. During the event, Graves emphasized the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to states on deploying high-speed Internet networks and developing digital skills.

“Due to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we now have the resources to close the digital divide and ensure that everyone in America, regardless of their zip code, has access to reliable and affordable high-speed Internet,” said Graves.     

Graves also issued a call to action to states to implement efforts to expand affordable, reliable, high-speed Internet as part of Commerce’s Internet for All. This initiative, launched in May of 2022, is a whole-of-government approach to investing in our country’s digital connectivity. States and territories nationwide have signed on to the Internet for All initiative. Through the BEAD program and State Digital Equity Planning Grant programs, they are committed to connecting their communities to reliable high-speed Internet for less.

“This is our opportunity to connect everyone in America to the tools they need to thrive in the modern digital economy,” said Graves. “High-speed Internet service isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity. Access to the Internet means the ability to do your job, for kids to participate in and excel in school, to get access to health care, and stay connected.”

During the event, Governor Wes Moore launched Maryland’s ActNow campaign in partnership with EducationSuperHighwayto connect every classroom in America to high-speed Internet. Currently, 11 percent of Marylanders do not have a connection to get online.

“Access to the Internet is no longer optional – it is essential, and nobody should be locked out of the Internet because of their income or where they live,” said Governor Moore. 

Earlier this year, Deputy Secretary Graves announced a $33.5 million grant to Maryland under Commerce’s Connecting Minority Community (CMC) at Maryland’s Coppin State University. The CMC will expand community technology hubs, upgrade classroom technology, and increase digital literacy skills at 12 minority-serving colleges and universities in 10 states.

The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program is administered by Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration. The program is providing $42.45 billion to expand high-speed Internet access by funding planning, infrastructure deployment and adoption programs in all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.