Press Release

The House Committee on Appropriations’ Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government approved a fiscal year 2024 bill, providing funding for certain federal agencies and proposes, among other things, $381.9 million for the Federal Communications Commission, which is $8.2 million below the FY 2023 enacted level. The bill would prohibit the FCC from from changing rules regarding single connection or primary line restrictions—and from increasing the minimum service standard for the Lifeline program.

The Senate Committee on Appropriations approved, on a 28-0 vote, the fiscal year 2024 Agriculture bill. The committee provides $98 million for the ReConnect program at the Department of Agriculture. The committee again reminds USDA that funding should not be used in areas that are already largely served and should be focused in areas where at least 90% of households lack access. In doing so, the committee intends that USDA

The US Department of the Treasury approved $195.7 million for high-speed internet projects in Washington state from the Capital Projects Fund (CPF).

The Satellite Industry Association (SIA) testified on the importance of satellite connectivity before the House Committee on Agriculture hearing titled “Closing the Digital Divide in Rural America.” SIA President Tom Stroup provided testimony on behalf of the Association. “Americans without high-speed internet access are slipping further behind as more and more aspects of American society are conducted online… and too many communities are on the wrong side of the divide,” said Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson (R-PA).

WISPA’s President and CEO David Zumwalt commended the House Agriculture Committee and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) for their work in closing the rural digital divide, and offered numerous suggestions on how the 2023 Farm Bill may more effectively narrow the broadband gap, in testimony today before the full Committee. WISPA represents the wireless internet service provider (WISP) industry.

Electric cooperatives need Congress to improve critical broadband programs to bring high-speed internet service to rural America, said NRECA CEO Jim Matheson. More than 200 electric co-ops across the US are deploying broadband or developing plans to do so. Matheson asked the committee to make key improvements to broadband programs at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) as it develops the Farm Bill:

Shirley Bloomfield, Chief Executive Officer of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association, testified before the US House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture on NTCA’s broadband priorities for the 2023 Farm Bill.

In the lead up to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA) announcements of state Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) allocations expected at the end of June 2023, it’s vital to reflect on how far we’ve come already – not just in terms of the number of dollars committed or the number of locations served, but in proving that a public-private partnership model is one of the most effective paths forward in working to expand broadband access. Local leaders and industry partners have come together and made extraordinary progress building out broadband n

Gov.

The Utah Broadband Center (UBC), part of the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, asks for public feedback on the drafts of the Utah Digital Connectivity Plan and Digital Equity Plan. Comments can be submitted online through July 6, 2023. The Utah Digital Connectivity Plan and Digital Equity Plan highlight Utah’s vision, goals, objectives, and strategies to help get all Utahns connected to affordable high-speed broadband internet and access to the tools and resources needed to succeed in the digital world.