Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33) Applauds Free Public Wi-Fi Installation in Multiple TX-33 Neighborhoods

FORT WORTH, TX – Today, Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33) of the Energy and Commerce Committee, applauded the city Fort Worth's recent announcement that four TX-33 neighborhoods will soon have access to free public internet in the next few months. The initiative was made possible because of the CARES Act— bipartisan legislation that Veasey joined his colleagues to pass, which allocated more than $2 trillion in economic stimulus to address the pandemic, including nearly $5 million to the city of Fort Worth for provisions like free home internet so Texans can access critical resources like virtual classes, job applications and social services. Veasey is also continuing to push Senate and House leadership to add his provisions in the next stimulus package that will expand affordable access to broadband nationwide.

"With work, school, and healthcare—not to mention basic communication between friends and families—now taking place primarily online, it has become imperative that all Americans have access to fast, reliable internet, no matter what their background is," said Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33). "I applaud my hometown of Fort Worth for allocating economic stimulus funds to ensure that North Texans have access to this critical service amid this pandemic; this is a great step in the right direction. Now is the time to build on this success and create solutions like this nationwide, which is why I will continue to push for legislation that provides dedicated funding for reliable internet that's affordable. During this pandemic and beyond, it's crucial that all Americans have the resources they need to operate safely and succeed in the 21st century economy."

During the 116th Congress, Congressman Veasey has served on the Energy and Committee and the Subcommittee on Communications and Telecommunications that oversee electronic communications such as broadband. Veasey has also spearheaded the Emergency Broadband Connections Act of 2020 ---legislation that would bolster broadband access for low income and minority groups. Key provisions of this legislation were included in both of the House-passed Heroes Act stimulus packages earlier this year.