Rural broadband in West Virginia: Building on successes of 2019

One of my first efforts as a US senator was launching my Capito Connect initiative — a roadmap for bringing affordable, reliable, high-speed internet access to homes, businesses, and classrooms in WV. Each year, we’re making significant strides, and in 2019, we’ve made even more progress. While we’ve made great strides, there’s always more work to do. Federal, state and local entities must work in tandem to ensure we reach last-mile communities. On the state level, the WV Broadband Enhancement Council is an important partner in closing the digital divide in WV. I applaud their efforts to use state Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) dollars to not only help communities plan for the networks that will best serve them, but also identify the best technologies to serve each communities. This targeted approach saves time and money and helps towns get the right service for them. I’ll continue doing my part at the federal level to educate municipalities about the federal resources available to them, and I’ll continue working to ensure Congress’s priorities include broadband build-out. 2019 marked a year of significant progress when it comes to broadband, and I’m confident that we can build on this momentum and strive for even bigger results in 2020.