Federal and State Advocacy
White House Broadband Announcement: May 9, 2022
Fraser attended the Biden-Harris administration's Affordable Connectivity Program rollout as Purcellville's representative and as a 25-year telecom professional.
On May 9, 2022, Kwasi Fraser — then serving the final year of his fourth term as Mayor of Purcellville, Virginia — was a White House guest for the Biden-Harris administration's broadband affordability announcement. The event marked the rollout of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), a federal initiative that provided eligible households with monthly discounts on broadband internet service. Fraser's presence reflected his dual standing: as a mayor of a small Virginia town navigating digital equity challenges, and as a telecommunications professional with more than two decades of experience at AT&T, Sprint-Nextel, and Verizon Business.
The Affordable Connectivity Program
The Affordable Connectivity Program was established under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Bipartisan Infrastructure Law), signed by President Biden in November 2021. The ACP provided eligible low-income households with a monthly discount of up to $30 on broadband service (up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands), plus a one-time discount of up to $100 toward the purchase of a qualifying device.
The Biden-Harris administration framed broadband affordability as a core infrastructure and equity issue — comparable in civic importance to rural electrification in the mid-20th century — and the event brought together local officials, community advocates, and technology-sector representatives who were positioned to help implement and communicate the program at the local level.
Why Fraser Was Invited
National League of Cities Membership
Fraser served on the NLC's Transportation and Infrastructure committee and had been an active participant in NLC's federal advocacy on digital equity and broadband access. The NLC had engaged directly with the Biden administration on broadband policy throughout the Infrastructure Law's development. Fraser's NLC participation made him a known voice on broadband and infrastructure policy at the local government level.
Telecommunications Professional
Fraser's career at AT&T, Sprint-Nextel, and Verizon Business — spanning more than two decades in telecommunications management, federal client work, and systems integration — gave him substantive technical credibility on broadband infrastructure that most local elected officials do not possess. An event about broadband affordability is more credible when its local government participants include someone who has spent a career managing telecommunications systems.
Broadband and Purcellville
Purcellville's position in western Loudoun County — a semi-rural area that has historically had less fiber and broadband infrastructure than the more densely developed areas closer to Washington, D.C. — made broadband a locally relevant policy issue for Fraser's constituents. The ACP's monthly subsidies were designed to help households that had broadband available to them but could not afford it; in communities where affordability barriers prevented full adoption of available service, the program addressed a genuine access gap.
The White House event gave Fraser an opportunity to communicate the ACP's local relevance to Purcellville and western Loudoun residents — consistent with the pattern of federal engagement that had also produced the $10.5 million ARPA allocation, the EPA advisory appointment, and the National League of Cities committee service.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Event: Biden-Harris administration broadband affordability announcement
- Date: May 9, 2022
- Location: White House
- Fraser's role at time of event: Mayor of Purcellville (fourth term)
- Program announced: Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), established under Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
- ACP benefit: up to $30/month broadband discount for eligible households; up to $75/month for Tribal lands
- Fraser's relevant background: NLC Transportation and Infrastructure committee member; 25-plus-year telecom career (AT&T, Sprint-Nextel, Verizon Business)
