News

House Ag Committee advances $50B bipartisan rural broadband bill

The U.S. House Ag committee has advanced a bipartisan bill to increase rural broadband services. Chairman David Scott says bipartisanship is the key to the $50 billion Broadband Internet Connections for Rural America Act, “Everybody understands we’ve got to do this. I want to do it quickly and get it done.”

Missouri Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler praised the bill saying it will help rural Missourians, “According to the Missouri Department of Economic Development it’s estimated 300,000 Missouri households cannot access the internet. And that translates to 195,000 K through 12 students and 54,000 businesses and farms.”

Congresswoman Cheri Bustos of Illinois the expanded Reconnect Program will help connect more Illinois rural residents. She says Jo-Carroll Energy in her district got a 14-Million-dollar grant through the program last year, “That helped them deliver fiber broadband to more than 3,000 homes. Also, to a healthcare facility. Also, to 10 educational facilities. All of this spans 250 miles, altogether. I just give that to you as an example about why this is so important.”

Scott says the goal is to get the bill up for a vote in the House before the end of this month.