Joy Miller is pictured in November 2022. (Photo credit: Joy Miller)
The rise in online work and learning throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing inequities in internet access. In Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, Joy Miller’s family experienced the limitations of their home internet throughout frequent outages.
When Joy’s family of five began working and learning primarily from home at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, their home internet struggled to meet their needs. Their inadequate internet often resulted in dropped calls and service outages. In her role as a school psychologist, Joy has seen countless families in her community struggle with unreliable internet, putting their children’s learning outcomes at risk. Now, Joy is grateful for the Biden administration’s nationwide investments in broadband infrastructure, which are helping families such as Joy’s access faster, more reliable internet to help them meet the needs of modern life.
These investments in broadband internet mean less daily frustration for families like mine. The flow of the day goes so much easier when we can count on the ability to join appointments, go to class, and complete work without our internet dropping. And I know that, for the students I work with as a school psychologist, unreliable internet can be a source of embarrassment. It can make students who are struggling even more difficult to reach. So expanded broadband infrastructure really means a huge improvement in the quality of life for families in our community.
Joy Miller
The Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act provides historic investments in broadband infrastructure to communities across the country. For urban, suburban, or rural families alike, this program will help Americans from all backgrounds access the internet.
Read more on how laws passed under Biden have helped Americans
This collection features stories from Americans across the country whose lives and communities have benefited from the legislative and executive actions passed under the Biden administration.