Youngstown Mayor Jamael Tito Brown, who was at the White House during an announcement about discounted high-speed internet access for lower-income families, said the program will be a “great benefit” to the residents of his city.

“The Affordable Connectivity Program will complement our efforts of granting greater access to broadband internet for families in the city of Youngstown,” Brown said after Monday’s event at the White House’s Rose Garden. “Any opportunity to bridge the digital divide to improve access to education and career advancement for our community is something I fully support as a father and as mayor.”

Brown, a Democrat, was among the 175 or so invited guests at the event in Washington, D.C.

Brown said he was invited because of his “active participation” in the U.S. Conference of Mayors and his early support of Biden’s presidential bid.

Brown initially endorsed U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan’s presidential bid. Shortly after Ryan, D-Howland, who represents Youngstown, quit the race in October 2019, he and Brown endorsed Biden.

Also, Brown met with Joe Biden during a Sept. 30, 2020, campaign stop in Alliance.

The $1 trillion infrastructure law signed last November by President Joe Biden, a Democrat, includes $65 billion to expand access to affordable high-speed internet.

The Affordable Connectivity Program will provide $30 monthly subsidies for about 48 million lower-income households. About 11.5 million already have signed up.

“High-speed internet is not a luxury any longer; it’s a necessity,” Biden said.

He added: “Thanks to the bipartisan infrastructure law, we’re delivering high-speed internet infrastructure to every part of the country. I mean that literally, every part of the country. The bottom line is this: my top priority is fighting inflation and lowering prices for families and the things they need. (Monday’s) announcement is going to give millions of families a little more, a little more breathing room to help them pay their bills.”

To be eligible, a household has to be at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level — $55,500 for a family of four — or have a member of the home receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps); Medicaid; Supplemental Security Income; Federal Public Housing Assistance, Veterans Pension and Survivor Benefits; a Pell Grant; or free or reduced-price school lunch.

To sign up, call 877-384-2575 or go online to getinternet.gov.

Biden announced Monday that 20 internet companies, which serve about 80 percent of the nation’s population, have agreed to provide at least 100 megabits per second, or higher speed, service through the federal subsidy.

“This is a case where big business stepped up,” Biden said. “We’re trying to get others to do the same thing. It’s going to change people’s lives.”

Vice President Kamala Harris, who also spoke at Monday’s event, said: “In the 21st century, access to the internet is essential for success. Every person in our nation, no matter how much they earn, should be able to afford high-speed internet and a high-speed internet plan.”