{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://loebsack.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=395000", "Loebsack Leads Call for Dollars and Data to Improve Rural Wireless Coverage", "2017-03-22", "2017", "2017-03", "Democrat", "House", "IA", "Dave Loebsack", "L000565", "loebsack.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "At a recent Communications and Technology Subcommittee hearing, Congressman Dave Loebsack led the call for a direct investment in expanding both fixed and mobile broadband, especially in rural areas. He also called for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to provide more reliable data to map and target where additional broadband access is needed. \r\n\r\nClick here to watch Dave\u2019s full opening statement. Text of Loebsack\u2019s statement:\u201cBroadband is not a luxury for rural America. It\u2019s survival. I think that everybody who\u2019s here today understands that.\u201cCommunities cannot thrive if they are left behind as the rest of the country moves forward. \u201cInvesting in broadband creates jobs, and it helps communities grow. \u201cThere are two critical things we need to connect these communities. Dollars and Data. We are talking about dollars, but we also need data.\u201cWe need direct investment in fixed and mobile broadband, just like we invest in other types of infrastructure. And we need data. \u201cRight now, the data the FCC is using to determine where to invest in wireless shows that the entire state of Iowa, for example, is covered. Madam Chair, I would like to ask unanimous consent to enter into the record a map that I have here of coverage of Iowa. \u00a0\u201cAs you can see folks, according to the FCC, all of Iowa gets 4G LTE coverage according to the FCC at the moment. \u201cNow I am constantly driving through my 24 counties to meet with constituents in Iowa, and I can tell you and they can tell you as well, this is not the reality. It\u2019s just not a reality. We have dead spots, dropped calls, poor speeds and more in some areas. \u201cThat is why I recently introduced the Rural Wireless Access Act, to improve these maps. We have to have good data, we have to have good maps. We have to get the data right so that we target resources to fix the problem. So data is absolutely critical folks, not just the money. \u201cThank you, and I yield back.\u201dClick here for more information on Loebsack\u2019s legislation, the Rural Wireless Access Act. A significant digital divide remains between urban and rural America. Congressman Loebsack is a leader in working to close this divide by promoting broadband deployment throughout rural America. Loebsack serves on the Communications and Technology subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over telecommunications issues. He also serves as a co-chair of the Rural Broadband Caucus.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "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": ["http://loebsack.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=395000"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8282780181616545, "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"}