Oregon Gets $9.9 Million for Digital Equity Amid NTIA Criticism
State plan counters criticism, showing white residents may benefit as much or more than racial minorities.
Jericho Casper
WASHINGTON, Nov. 25, 2024 – Oregon has been awarded nearly $10 million in federal funding to kickstart the state’s first-ever program addressing broadband adoption gaps.
The funding, part of the $1.25 billion Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program overseen by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, was awarded Thursday, the same day NTIA was urged to halt the program by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.
Cruz sent a letter to NTIA, claiming it engaged in “impermissible race-based discrimination” by prioritizing connectivity for racial minorities among other underserved groups. Advocates have since pushed back, emphasizing that these priorities were mandated by Congress, not NTIA, under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021.
Oregon’s digital equity plan also countered Cruz’s narrative, by highlighting the diverse challenges faced by covered populations, which include low-income families, veterans, seniors, English language learners, incarcerated individuals, people with disabilities, rural residents, and racial and ethnic minorities.
For instance, the Oregon plans said incarcerated individuals face disproportionately high internet costs, while rural residents struggle with access to reliable infrastructure. Racial minorities face challenges such as device ownership, but outperformed white Oregonians in digital literacy metrics.
“Racial or ethnic minorities were evaluated for digital skills use, although this demographic does not illustrate a particularly urgent need for skills training,” Oregon’s plan states. “Rather, racial or ethnic minorities outperform white Oregonians in more than half the measured online activities,” indicating that white residents may need more targeted support than racial minorities.
One aspect of Oregon’s plan includes equipping residents with robust knowledge needed to stay safe online. Interestingly, when asked if they could identify false or misleading information online, 53 percent of Black households responded “strongly agree,” while only 36 percent of White households responded similarly.
“This funding will ensure investments reach all corners of the state — from frontier and rural communities to urban centers,” said Sophorn Cheang, director of Business Oregon, the economic development agency for the state, in a release. Cheang emphasized that Oregon’s digital equity efforts were designed to benefit all covered populations, regardless of race or background.