Senate bill would create rural broadband office at FCC

A recently introduced Senate bill would create a dedicated office for rural-broadband expansion inside the Federal Communications Commission. If enacted, the legislation would order the FCC to create an Office of Rural Broadband. That new agency would coordinate with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the Agriculture Department’s Rural Utilities Service and the Universal Service Administrative Company — an FCC-backed nonprofit that distributes broadband funds to underfunded areas — to maintain information on federal rural broadband programs.

The bill is sponsored by Sens Kevin Cramer (R-ND), John Hoeven (R-SD), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).