Agriculture Appropriations Bill Includes Rural Telecom and Broadband Loans

The Senate voted to pass the fiscal year 2010 appropriations bill for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and related agencies. The bill includes $145 million for 5 percent rural telecommunications loans; $250 million for cost of money rural telecommunications loans; and $295 million for rural telecommunications loans. The bill also includes $40 million for administrative expenses necessary to carry out direct and guaranteed rural electrification and telecom loan programs; $532 million for the for broadband telecommunication loans; $38 million for grants for telemedicine and distance learning services in rural areas; $38 million for the cost of broadband loans; and $13 million for financing broadband transmission in rural areas eligible for Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program benefits. The Senate bill will now move to conference committee. The House passed a similar bill last month.