{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.barrasso.senate.gov/newsroom-news-releases-barrasso-bill-expands-access-to-broadband-in-national-parks/", "Barrasso Bill Expands Access to Broadband in National Parks", "2023-06-15", "2023", "2023-06", "Republican", "Senate", "WY", "John Barrasso", "B001261", "www.barrasso.senate.gov", "barrasso", "https://www.barrasso.senate.gov/newsroom/news-releases/", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), chair of the Senate National Parks Subcommittee, introduced legislation to increase broadband and cellular service at U.S. National Parks.\n\nThe Connect Our Parks Act will direct each National Park to assess where broadband service is needed and develop a plan to increase access to internet and cellular service. Increased cellular access inside our Parks is a crucial component of public safety. Further, broadband access has been identified as a barrier to hiring and retaining qualified employees for the National Park Service, a current crisis within the agency.\n\n\u201cWyoming is home to the most incredible national parks in the country,\u201d said Senator Barrasso. \u201cOur national parks host millions of visitors and employees every year. We want to make sure everyone in the park has access to life-saving emergency services. The Connect Our Parks Act will provide Park Rangers, employees, and visitors with high-speed, reliable broadband to keep our parks safe and accessible at all times.\u201d\n\n\u201cAmerica\u2019s National Parks provide great opportunities to enjoy nature, but when emergencies happen, visitors should have modern connections to receive help,\u201d said Senator King, chair of the Senate National Parks Subcommittee. \u201cThe Connect Our Parks Act is a commonsense effort to improve access to emergency services, assist Park Rangers responding to crises, and expand growing digital services like park navigation. I appreciate Senator Barrasso\u2019s leadership on this issue and look forward to our continued partnership to improve America\u2019s great outdoors.\u201d\n\nCosponsors of this bill include U.S. Senators Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.).\n\nThis Connect Our Parks Act specifically:\n\nDirects each of the National Parks to assess where service, both internet service and cellular service, is lacking within the park.\n\nFor broadband, areas of study should include housing, administrative facilities and related structures, and campgrounds.\n\nFor cellular service, areas should be identified that would increase the public\u2019s access to emergency services and would increase the communications capabilities of Park Rangers.\n\nRequires each park to develop a plan to increase broadband and cellular service based on the results of the assessment.\n\nRequires the plan to provide minimal disruptions to viewsheds, land, and wildlife.\n\nRequires each park to utilize public-private partnerships to install and provide the telecommunications service.\n\nRequires parks to consult with relevant stakeholders, plan in a technology-neutral way, and provide a minimum internet service speed of 100/20 Mbps.\n\nFull text of the legislation can be found here.\n\n###", 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://www.barrasso.senate.gov/newsroom-news-releases-barrasso-bill-expands-access-to-broadband-in-national-parks/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9485138580203056, "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"}