{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-pettersen-introduce-bipartisan-bicameral-effort-expand-rural", "Ciscomani, Pettersen Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Effort to Expand Rural Broadband Access", "2023-08-18", "2023", "2023-08", "Republican", "House", "AZ", "Juan Ciscomani", "C001133", "ciscomani.house.gov", "ciscomani", "https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "TUCSON, AZ \u2013 U.S. Representatives Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06) and Brittany Pettersen (D-CO-07) this week introduced the Connecting Our Neighbors to Networks and Ensuring Competitive Telecommunications (CONNECT) Act, legislation aimed at expanding rural broadband access. This bill reforms the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s (USDA) ReConnect Loan and Grant Program to make it easier for small providers, local governments, nonprofits and cooperatives to apply to this program and to shorten required permitting deadlines, expediting funding for projects in rural communities. You can find full bill text here.\n\n\u201cIn today\u2019s age, internet access drives almost every aspect of life, from economic growth to educational opportunities,\u201d said Rep. Ciscomani. \u201cYet too many rural areas in Arizona lack access to strong, reliable broadband, which stunts the growth and prosperity of these communities. I am proud to partner with Congresswoman Pettersen and Senators Bennet and Budd in this bipartisan effort to close the digital divide.\u201d\n\n\u201cAccess to reliable, high-speed internet is essential for the success of our students, businesses, and communities\u2014but too many Coloradans, especially in rural areas, are without broadband,\u201d said Rep. Pettersen. \u201cMuch of my district encompasses rural mountain towns, many that don\u2019t have consistent access to internet, so I\u2019m proud to introduce this bill alongside Congressman Ciscomani and Senators Bennet and Budd to improve and strengthen the USDA\u2019s ReConnect program. It\u2019s the next step as we close the digital divide and level the playing field for all Americans.\u201d\n\nSenators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Ted Budd (R-NC) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.\n\n\u201cBroadband is the essential infrastructure of the 21st century, but rural communities across Colorado and the country are being left behind,\u201d said Sen. Bennet. \u201cIt\u2019s time Washington made federal programs easier to access for small providers\u2013who are most attuned to the needs of their customers\u2013and strengthened support for local governments, nonprofit organizations, and cooperatives seeking to provide internet service to rural residents.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe USDA\u2019s ReConnect Program has already helped bridge the digital divide in North Carolina, but the application process remains complicated and expensive,\u201d said Sen.Budd. \u201cThis makes it harder for small rural providers to get projects approved. I\u2019m proud to partner with Senator Bennet on bipartisan legislation that will make it easier for more Americans to get access to affordable, high-quality internet.\u201d\n\nWhile the ReConnect Loan and Grant program provides broadband funding for eligible rural areas, the application process can be complicated and prohibitively expensive for small providers. Specifically, the CONNECT Act would:\n\nEstablish an Office of Technical Assistance to aid eligible providers with application forms;\n\nCreate a Mini-Grant Program offering grants up to $20,000 for small providers;\n\nPrioritize applications from local governments, nonprofit organizations, or cooperatives;\n\nDesignate rural areas that receive broadband service via non-wireline technology as eligible for ReConnect funding;\n\nShorten certain permitting deadlines for USDA-funded broadband projects from 270 to 180 days;\n\nCreate an interagency Broadband Council to recommend uniform speed and application requirements for federal programs; and\n\nExpand federal easements for certain electric utilities to enable them to lease existing fiber capacity.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:30:18Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-pettersen-introduce-bipartisan-bicameral-effort-expand-rural"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5149291139096022, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}