{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=5E0F63CF-CC20-488D-9A69-170659F6C5AC", "Klobuchar Statement on Federal Approval of Minnesota Broadband Infrastructure Plan", "2024-09-26", "2024", "2024-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "MN", "Amy Klobuchar", "K000367", "www.klobuchar.senate.gov", "klobuchar", "https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), a senior member of the Senate Commerce Committee, announced that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) at the U.S. Department of Commerce approved Minnesota\u2019s plan for broadband infrastructure deployment. This development advances Minnesota to the next step in their planned affordable broadband rollout across the state.\n\nKlobuchar\u2019s Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act was incorporated into the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and was the basis for the significant federal funding to Minnesota for expanding high-speed internet access.\n\n\u201cInternet access is necessary for everything from education to healthcare, not to mention for keeping in touch with friends and family. However, many households in Minnesota currently don\u2019t have a reliable broadband connection,\u201d said Klobuchar. \u201cThat is why I fought to secure this game changing investment that will deliver affordable and reliable high-speed internet to everyone in Minnesota. With the approval of Minnesota\u2019s rollout plan, we are one step closer to connecting every corner of our state.\u201d\n\nKlobuchar has long led efforts to expand broadband access, support rural broadband, and bridge the digital divide.\n\nIn June 2023, Klobuchar announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce had awarded major federal funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to bring reliable, affordable, high-speed internet access to every household in Minnesota. The Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act, Klobuchar\u2019s legislation with Former House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC) to expand high-speed internet nationwide, served as the basis for the program created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.\n\nIn March 2023, Klobuchar and Senators John Thune (R-SD), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), and Jerry Moran (R-KS) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to expand broadband access to rural communities. The Reforming Broadband Connectivity Act would strengthen funding mechanisms for the Federal Communications Commission\u2019s (FCC) Universal Service Fund (USF), which promotes universal access to broadband and other telecommunications services. Currently, the USF is primarily funded through landline fees, disproportionately impacting seniors, who are more likely to use landlines than other Americans.\n\nIn February 2023, Klobuchar introduced bipartisan legislation with Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) to strengthen broadband access for rural communities. The Rural Broadband Protection Act would ensure that providers applying for federal funding can reliably deliver broadband to underserved, rural communities.\n\nIn July 2021, Klobuchar introduced bipartisan legislation with Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) to expand rural broadband access by streamlining the funding process and removing barriers for broadband connectivity in hard-to-serve rural areas.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"]], "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.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=5E0F63CF-CC20-488D-9A69-170659F6C5AC"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0491558350622654, "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"}