National Public Radio

Mitch Landrieu, the man Biden hopes can rebuild America, bring broadband to millions

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act allocates $65 billion to expand internet access to all. Mitch Landrieu, the former mayor of New Orleans, is the man President Joe Biden tapped to make sure the massive job gets done. In this podcast, Landrieu speaks about the Affordable Connectivity Program – which provides monthly $30 subsidies for lower-income individuals to buy internet access. And Kathryn de Wit, project director for the Pew Charitable Trust's Broadband Access Initiative, talks about why accessing the internet is no longer a luxury, but a necessity.

30 years ago, one decision altered the course of our connected world

30 years ago—on April 30, 1993—something called the World Wide Web launched into the public domain. The web made it simple for anyone to navigate the internet. All users had to do was launch a new program called a "browser," type in a URL, and hit return. This began the internet's transformation into the vibrant online canvas we use today. Anyone could build their own "web site" with pictures, video and sound. They could even send visitors to other sites using hyperlinked words or phrases underlined in blue.