SIA President Tom Stroup Testifies Before House Committee on Agriculture Regarding the Role of Satellites in Bridging the Digital Divide in Rural America

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). While emphasizing the critical and bi-partisan importance of bringing reliable connectivity to every part of rural America, Agriculture Committee Ranking Member David Scott (D-GA) added, “Broadband is now an integral part of our daily lives, but most areas of rural America go without broadband and that must change now." Tom Stroup, president of the Satellite Industry Association said, "Satellite communication services are transforming the operation of our nation’s farms and ranches." “Satellites, unlike terrestrial communications, deliver a range of unique and reliable ubiquitous attributes that benefit our nation’s farmers. In addition to satellite supported telehealth, GPS equipped autonomous farm vehicles and remote sensing-enabled precision farming services, recent innovations have made the delivery of high quality, high-speed broadband, and Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity available to rural America everywhere and everyone – helping to close the digital divide across the [US].”