{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://lahood.house.gov/2023/6/lahood-bipartisan-group-introduce-bill-to-improve-broadband-access-in-rural-communities", "LaHood, Bipartisan Group Introduce Bill to Improve Broadband Access in Rural Communities", "2023-06-21", "2023", "2023-06", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Darin LaHood", "L000585", "lahood.house.gov", "lahood", "https://lahood.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Darin LaHood (IL-16) joined U.S. Representatives Zach Nunn (IA-03), Angie Craig (MN-02), and Eric Sorensen (IL-17) in introducing bipartisan legislation to improve access to high quality, affordable broadband in rural communities. The ReConnecting Rural America Act makes improvements to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) ReConnect Program, which offers loans, grants, and loan-grant combinations facilitating broadband deployment in areas of rural America that currently do not have sufficient access to broadband.\n\n\u201cAccess to reliable and fixed broadband is critical to our communities in the 16th District of Illinois, one of the largest rural and agricultural districts in the country,\u201d said Rep. LaHood. \u201cAs we work to bridge the digital divide, I am proud to join this bipartisan group to introduce legislation that will expand broadband access for those who need it most in our rural communities.\u201d\n\n\u201cDuring my Farm Bill listening tour, improving broadband access is one of the top priorities I\u2019ve heard about. Access to high quality, affordable internet is critical for telehealth services, education, precision agriculture, and quality of life in rural America,\u201d Rep. Nunn said. \u201cThis bipartisan bill will ensure faster, more reliable speeds for rural communities with the most critical needs.\u201d\n\n\u201cEvery single community deserves access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet. I\u2019m proud to introduce this bipartisan bill to strengthen USDA\u2019s ReConnect Program and provide Minnesota\u2019s rural schools, businesses and families with the internet access they need,\u201d said Rep. Craig.\n\n\"Broadband touches so many facets of our society, from health care, to education, to economic opportunity,\" said Rep. Sorensen. \"Access to affordable internet in rural communities is a necessity, not a luxury, in 21st century America. I'm proud to join this bipartisan effort to expand broadband access to those who need it most.\"\n\nEstablished in 2018, the USDA ReConnect Program provides loans and grants to eligible entities to facilitate broadband deployment in underserved areas of rural America that do not currently have sufficient access to broadband.\n\nThe ReConnecting Rural America Act strengthens the USDA ReConnect Program by:\n\nMaking the ReConnect Program permanent\n\nAuthorizing the USDA to make loans, grants, and grant-loan combinations for the construction and improvement of equipment and facilities to provide broadband\n\nEstablishing requirements for faster, more reliable internet at a 100/100 Mbps symmetrical buildout speed\n\nPrioritizing communities with the greatest need for increased speeds by defining unserved communities as at least 75 percent of households unserved at 100/20 mbps speed and prioritizing awards to areas in which at least 90 percent of households lack 100/20 mbps speed\n\nEnsuring the program can keep up with the increase in demand by including sufficient funding authorization levels\n\nThe ReConnecting Rural America Act is supported by the Rural Broadband Association (NTCA), National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), the Farm Credit Council, and the Fiber Broadband Association.\n\n\u201cAs small broadband providers in rural areas work tirelessly to bridge the digital divide, the ReConnect program has been an important resource to get the job done,\u201d NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield said. \u201cThe ReConnecting Rural America Act improves upon this already successful program to better target funding where it is needed most, recognizes that experience matters when it comes to delivering rural broadband, and ensures that those in the most rural and hard to serve areas receive the same high-quality, high-speed broadband as those in urban areas.\u201d\n\n\u201cEfforts to close the digital divide began nearly 25 years ago, and yet many rural families and businesses still lack access to a reliable internet connection simply because of where they choose to live. That\u2019s unacceptable,\u201d Louis Finkel, Senior Vice President of Government Relations at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), said. \u201cThe bipartisan ReConnecting Rural America Act will make USDA\u2019s ReConnect Program permanent, and provide the tools and flexibilities necessary for rural providers to meet the unique challenges of building lasting broadband networks in rural areas.\u201d\n\n\u201cReliable and consistent broadband is a necessity, not a luxury,\u201d Todd Van Hoose, President and CEO of the Farm Credit Council, said. \u201cThis essential service is integral to keeping rural communities thriving.? Broadband is needed to attract the next generation of producers into agriculture and for keeping rural residents in rural communities.\u201d\n\n\u201cOver the years, the ReConnect program has provided funding to ensure more remote communities in America have the same broadband capabilities as urban areas, connecting them largely with reliable, fiber broadband networks,\u201d Gary Bolton, President and CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, said. \u201cBut, far too many rural communities are still stranded on the wrong side of the digital divide. By reauthorizing ReConnect and requiring that projects offer a minimum service build out speed of 100 Mbps symmetrical broadband service, the legislation will ensure that taxpayer dollars are used wisely and most importantly that rural Americans and their communities will receive the broadband connectivity that meets their needs today and tomorrow.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:15:57Z"]], "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://lahood.house.gov/2023/6/lahood-bipartisan-group-introduce-bill-to-improve-broadband-access-in-rural-communities"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6248379833996296, "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"}