Senators Introduce Legislation to Expand Access to Rural Broadband

Sens Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced the Assisting Broadband Connectivity Act. This bipartisan bill will streamline the funding process and remove barriers for broadband connectivity in hard-to-serve rural areas. The Assisting Broadband Connectivity Act will make changes to the rural broadband programs at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), so areas aren’t automatically ineligible for federal funding because the project previously received state funding. This change will ease administrative burdens for those applying to provide broadband to rural America. However, this won’t change the requirements or due diligence for USDA Rural Utilities Service when they administer these programs. This legislation will also provide more flexibility with funding and resources; states will be able to use federal funds, such as COVID aid for broadband, fulfilling their requirement in most applications to match federal dollars. This update will help rural America move forward by providing more coordination and funding availability for broadband projects.