Infrastructure bill will improve lives in Minnesota for generations

The strongly bipartisan infrastructure bill provides $65 billion to bring quality, affordable broadband networks to communities – especially those in rural America – that for too long have struggled to thrive without modern high-speed internet. When I first came to the Senate, a top priority of mine was to increase access to broadband. It’s a 21st Century necessity for communities working to attract families and businesses, and to create jobs and economic development. Broadband connects students to top-notch education and allows health facilities to provide much-needed services, like telehealth. The current pandemic has shown us just how important quality broadband is for people working from home and for students learning remotely. It has also shown us how difficult it is for so many to access and afford broadband. The infrastructure bill changes that; Minnesota will receive a minimum of $100 million, which will significantly boost our state’s effort to connect its 157,000 households currently without service. It also ensures that new broadband services are affordable and that any new systems provide quality connections, so that users –especially those in rural areas — aren’t stuck with sub-par or second-class service.