WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement on today's announcement by Gov. John Carney about a $110-million investment of federally-appropriated funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to cover every "last mile" of Delaware with high-speed, wireline broadband internet service.

"Reliable access to high-speed internet is becoming more and more critical for success in the 21st century," Sen. Coons said. "Today's news will connect thousands in Delaware to broadband services. With the current challenges of COVID-19, we have particularly felt the strain associated with unreliable internet across our state. Whether it's connecting kids to schools, seniors to doctors, or rural farmers to state-of-the-art agricultural data, this $110-million investment of federal funds will expand broadband availability, increase internet speeds, and make Delaware one of the most connected states in America."