Manchin Announces $122K to Expand Broadband Access for Students at Seven West Virginia Schools
Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, announced $122,155 from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for seven West Virginia schools. This funding is made possible through the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) and will help the schools purchase laptops and tablets, Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, routers and broadband connections for students, faculty and staff.
“The Emergency Connectivity Fund continues to provide critical resources for West Virginia students, schools and libraries to secure reliable broadband connections. I successfully fought to include this funding for West Virginia in the American Rescue Plan, which will help ensure our communities have the essential tools they need to be competitive in today’s digital economy,” said Senator Manchin. “As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue working to ensure every student across the Mountain State has access to reliable, affordable broadband.”
The Emergency Connectivity Fund was authorized in the American Rescue Plan, which passed the Senate in March 2021, to provide $7.17 billion to expand distance learning and connectivity around the country. It included key provisions authored by Senator Manchin that prioritized rural areas and made these funds fully reimbursable to ensure rural states like West Virginia do not bear the burden of higher costs.
Individual awards listed below:
- $53,850 – Eastern Panhandle Preparatory Academy, Kearneysville
- $37,600 – St. Patrick School, Weston
- $6,926 – St. Michael School, Wheeling
- $6,926 – Central Catholic High School, Wheeling
- $6,926 – Our Lady of Peace School, Wheeling
- $6,233 – St. Paul School, Weirton
- $3,694 – Fairmont Catholic School, Fairmont
A timeline of Senator Manchin's efforts to expand broadband access can be found here.
Next Article Previous Article
