ALBANY, NY (Erie News Now)-- This week some New York State lawmakers sent a letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul asking her to prioritize under served communities when directing the $665 million in high-speed internet grants from the federal government. 

“I think Elmira and surrounding areas, particularly our rural areas that have no service whatsoever need to be the priorities,” Sen. Tom O’Mara (R-Big Flats). 

Sen. O'Mara added the state has talked frequently in recent years about getting internet access to everyone in the state but some communities are still lacking, he said. 

O'Mara said this access is critical for New Yorkers. 

“While we have spent hundreds of millions of dollars in New York there’s still a lot of unserved people and under served people throughout the Southern Tier and Finger lakes region that I represent and all across upstate New York,” he said. 

The high-speed internet grants are part of the Biden-Harris administration's Invest in America Agenda--which intends to allocate $40 billion in federal dollars for high-speed internet across the country. 

A few weeks ago, while visiting a community college in the Capitol Region, United States Representative Paul Tonko (D-NY 20th Congressional District). 

“My message in this session of Congress is no rolling back, let’s continue to go forward. I see it as a down payment. Already people are asking me to vote in committee to undo these programs. The vote is no,” Rep. Tonko said.