ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., July 23, 2009 -- Today, the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service (RUS) met in Albuquerque, N.M., and held the ninth of 10 public forums designed to help prospective grantees apply for $4 billion in broadband grants and loans under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Today's forum followed Vice President Biden's announcement earlier this month of the availability of $4 billion in Recovery Act loans and grants to help bring broadband service to unserved and underserved communities across America. This is the first round of funding aimed at expanding broadband access to help bridge the technological divide and create jobs building out Internet infrastructure.

Senator Tom Udall provided video remarks. Commerce NTIA Associate Administrator Dr. Bernadette McGuire-Rivera and USDA Rural Development RUS Deputy Administrator Jessica Zufolo participated in the public workshop. Commerce Deputy Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information Anna M. Gomez spoke at a pre-workshop forum on "High Speed, High Stakes: Closing the Digital Divide in Minority Communities."

"Broadband access can bring expanded educational and economic opportunities to minority communities," said Gomez. "That's why it is important that minority communities are aware of this program."

"Expanding access to broadband in communities throughout rural America is a major goal of the Obama administration because it is critical for future economic success," said Zufolo. "Today's workshop is an important part of the effort to expand broadband to unserved and underserved communities in the region to enable all communities to compete in the 21st century economy."

Workshops include an overview of the first round of grant funding available under NTIA's Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) and grants and loans available under RUS' Broadband Initiative Program (BIP). The workshops are designed to assist potential grant and loan applicants with questions about the application process.

The final workshop will be on July 24 in Los Angeles, Calif. Attendees may pre-register for workshops online at www.broadbandusa.gov .

The Recovery Act provided a total of $7.2 billion to the Department of Commerce and the USDA to accelerate broadband deployment in areas of the country that have been without the high-speed infrastructure. Of that funding, NTIA will use $4.7 billion to deploy broadband infrastructure in unserved and underserved areas in the United States, expand public computer center capacity and encourage sustainable adoption of broadband service. RUS will invest $2.5 billion to facilitate broadband deployment in rural communities.