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Congresswoman Maxine Waters Promotes Expansion of Broadband Access at South Los Angeles WorkSource Center

January 13, 2010

Please see the attached fact sheet for additional information about the program.

Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-35) today joined U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, Senator Barbara Boxer, and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa at a South Los Angeles WorkSource Center to announce that that the WorkSource Center will receive federal funding as part of an effort to expand public access to broadband technology.

Los Angeles will receive $7.5 million to upgrade and add computers to sites including libraries, workforce centers, and youth and senior centers throughout the city, especially in low-income and non-English speaking communities.   The South Los Angeles WorkSource Center – Community Centers, Inc. is one of the 188 public computer centers that will receive funding.

Congresswoman Waters said, "The South Los Angeles WorkSource Center - Community Centers Inc. is a valuable resource to our community, providing important employment and hiring services to workers, job seekers, small business owners and other employers.  This center will be able to serve our community even better by expanding access to broadband technology."

In February 2009, Congress worked with President Obama to put together and pass an economic stimulus package – the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act – as a direct response to the economic crisis.  The Recovery Act aims to create new jobs as well as save existing ones, stimulate economic activity and invest in long-term economic growth.

Congresswoman Waters noted, "Many people think of the economic stimulus plan as focused on infrastructure and construction jobs, and these are a big part of it.  However, the stimulus also has helped save and create jobs for teachers, police officers and other emergency workers.  In addition, Congress made an investment in technology, to promote innovation and keep America competitive into the future."

The Recovery Act included $7.2 billion to expand broadband services, which will also create jobs and boost economic growth.  The broadband investments will be used for broadband infrastructure link unserved and underserved areas of the country, especially urban and rural areas, to the Internet backbone. 

"Broadband will help create jobs, prepare workers for higher-skilled, higher paying jobs, help connect small businesses with new suppliers and customers, and generate new economic activity in our community," Congresswoman Waters said.

Another type of broadband investment is for public computer centers; this is the category of the grant for the city of Los Angeles being announced today. 

Congresswoman Waters said, "This grant represents the beginning of our commitment to use Recovery Act funds to broaden access to technology and close the digital divide.  Many residents have not been able to afford broadband and thus do not have access to it, but the South Los Angeles WorkSource Center – Community Centers Inc. and other public computer centers receiving funding will now make broadband available for free to our community."

The Recovery Act also included an amendment offered by Congresswoman Waters to allow job training funds to be used to install broadband technology so more American homes and businesses would have high-speed access to the Internet and so workers could be trained for jobs related to this powerful technology.

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Fact Sheet attached