Rural Development (USDA )
Senators Welch and Marshall Introduce ReConnecting Rural America Act to Expand Access to Broadband in Rural Communities
Sens Peter Welch (D-VT) and Roger Marshall (R-KS) introduced the bipartisan ReConnecting Rural America Act, legislation to reauthorize and reinforce the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) ReConnect Loan and Grant Program.
Reps. Cammack, Soto, Jackson, Perez Introduce Rural Internet Improvement Act Of 2023
Congresswoman Kat Cammack (R-FL), Congressman Darren Soto (D-FL), Congressman Ronny Jackson (R-TX), and Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA) introduced the Rural Internet Improvement Act of 2023. The Rural Internet Improvement Act eliminates duplicative broadband programs at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) by merging and codifying the popular Rural e-Connectivity Pilot Program (ReConnect) with USDA's broadband loan and grant program.
Representative Baird leads bipartisan effort to prioritize rural broadband access
Congressman Jim Baird (R-IN) introduced a resolution emphasizing the need to invest in broadband expansion. The resolution, if passed, says the House of Representatives finds that:
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USDA Offers New Funding to Promote the Expansion of High-Speed Internet in Rural Areas
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the availability of $20 million to deliver broadband technical assistance resources for rural communities and to support the development and expansion of broadband cooperatives. USDA is offering funding under the new Broadband Technical Assistance Program.
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Delaware Converting Broadband Deserts
The groundwork for a well-connected Delaware dates back to 1997 with a pioneering collaboration between the state's departments of technology & information, transportation, and education. The Delaware Department of Transportation constructed extensive fiber for transportation purposes, quickly placing Delaware at the cutting edge of intelligent state transportation systems. This initial public investment in fiber infrastructure also supported a broad array of public institutions.
Biden-Harris Administration Invests $40 Million to Bring High-Speed Internet to People in Rural New Mexico
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the Department is investing $40 million to provide high-speed internet access for people living and working in rural areas in New Mexico. The three projects being announced today in New Mexico are:
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RUS Accepting Community Connect Grant Applications
The Rural Utilities Service, a Rural Development agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is accepting applications under the Community Connect Grant (CCG) program for Fiscal Year 2023. RUS has approximately $79 million for FY 2023. These grant funds will be made available to eligible applicants to construct broadband networks that provide service on a community-oriented connectivity basis in rural areas. All applicants are responsible for any expenses incurred in developing their applications. Applications are due June 20, 2023.
Rural Coalition Calls on Congress to Codify Broadband Service Standards in Farm Bill
In a letter to the leaders of the Congressional Committees on Agriculture, a coalition of partners in rural development, education and communications urged Congress to "aim for levels of connectivity in USDA programs that will meet the needs of rural Americans not just today but well into the future." They wrote, "we encourage you to continue to put the interests of rural communities first by codifying in the Farm Bill a minimum service level commitment of 100 Mbps symmetrical broadband service – the level specified in the oversubscribed third round of ReConnect – for any applicant seeking
President Biden's budget seeks another $400 Million for ReConnect Program
The US Department of Agriculture’s Broadband ReConnect Program already got a $2 billion boost from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, but President Joe Biden is looking to bolster the loan and grant initiative with a fresh batch of funding. In a budget proposal covering fiscal year 2024, President Biden called for an additional $400 million to be allocated to the program to help deploy broadband in unserved areas. “Installing high-speed internet creates high-paying union jobs and strengthens rural
Here's how GCI is navigating fiber in Alaska’s most remote communities
The Alaskan landscape is rife with broadband accessibility and deployment challenges, which GCI is all too familiar with.