Senators Say After Pandemic, Extending Broadband to Underserved Areas a Must

August 4, 2020 by Dan McCue
Senators Say After Pandemic, Extending Broadband to Underserved Areas a Must
A Consolidated Communications technician works on a line used to provide broadband internet service in a rural area on Wednesday, July 29, 2020, in Stowe, Vt. (AP Photo/Wilson Ring)

WASHINGTON – A bipartisan trio of senators urged their colleagues Tuesday to create a $10 billion fund to extend broadband cable access into underserved rural communities.

The Governors’ Broadband Development Fund bill was introduced by Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., and his co-sponsors, Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Mark Warner, D-Va.

The legislation:

  •  Allocates $10 billion to the Broadband Development Fund to prioritize funding for areas that currently lack service;
  • Supports the deployment of advanced technologies in areas where there is greatest need; and
  • Encourages projects that can provide internet service quickly.

“There are places in South Carolina you might as well be on the moon when it comes to getting high speed internet service,” said Sen. Graham. 

“All South Carolinians should be able to utilize the educational, telehealth, and business benefits of accessible and affordable broadband,” he said. “There is bipartisan support for expanding broadband access and our legislation dramatically improves access in rural and underserved areas. I’m cautiously optimistic we can get this done and signed into law soon.”

Sen. Warner said before pandemic, most people saw broadband access as “a precondition to full participation in the digital economy.”

“But with this crisis we’ve seen that it’s more than that: it’s the enabling technology for remote education, tele-work, and tele-medicine; it’s the means by which Americans apply for and access critical government benefits; and it provides us with the ability to stay close with loved ones we can no longer be in direct contact with,” he said.

“States like Virginia are leading the way in identifying and closing broadband gaps and this legislation will help expand and strengthen those important effort,” he concluded.

The legislation allocates $10 billion to the Broadband Development Fund. Each state is provided a minimum of $75 million and the rest of the funding is distributed based on state populations.

Thirty percent of a state’s funding must be used in Opportunity Zones.

South Carolina would receive roughly $170 million from this program.

Virginia would receive roughly $237 million from this program.

Funding can be used for infrastructure development, providing free or reduced cost broadband service, community center improvements, and other applications.

Sen. Scott said the bipartisan legislation would give governors the opportunity to effectively deploy broadband in the parts of their state that need it most.

“It is critical that we continue to find pathways to increase connectivity for all Americans to ensure that they are equipped with the tools necessary to thrive,” he said.

According to the Federal Communications Commission, about 21 million Americans do not have access to 25/3 mbps internet, which is the FCC’s standard for high speed broadband. Of that 21 million, 16 million live in rural areas, while 5 million live in urban areas. 

A+
a-
  • broadband
  • Coronavirus
  • Lindsey Graham
  • Mark Warner
  • rural communities
  • Tim Scott
  • In The News

    Health

    Voting

    Technology

    March 28, 2024
    by Dan McCue
    Silicon Valley-Based Firm Launches ‘Radar as a Service’

    BELMONT, Calif. — At first the idea sounds about as un-Silicon Valley as one can get. After all, the basic... Read More

    BELMONT, Calif. — At first the idea sounds about as un-Silicon Valley as one can get. After all, the basic concept underlying radar was proven in 1886, when a German physicist named Heinrich Hertz showed that radio waves could be reflected from solid objects. And the... Read More

    March 28, 2024
    by Dan McCue
    Vice President Harris Rolls Out First Government-Wide Policy to Mitigate AI Risks

    WASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday rolled out the Biden administration’s first government-wide policy intended to mitigate the... Read More

    WASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday rolled out the Biden administration’s first government-wide policy intended to mitigate the risks associated with artificial intelligence while still enabling its use to advance the public interest. The new policy, which is being issued through the White House... Read More

    March 21, 2024
    by Tom Ramstack
    Lawmakers Say US Semiconductors Sometimes Used by Foreign Adversaries

    WASHINGTON — A congressional panel juggled competing interests Thursday of trying to lead the world in industrial development without having... Read More

    WASHINGTON — A congressional panel juggled competing interests Thursday of trying to lead the world in industrial development without having the new technologies fall into the hands of foreign militaries that might want to harm the United States. More than anything, lawmakers want more and better... Read More

    March 21, 2024
    by Dan McCue
    DOJ, 16 States Sue Apple Over Alleged Smartphone Monopoly

    WASHINGTON — The Justice Department and 16 state attorneys general sued Apple on Thursday accusing the Cupertino, California-based tech giant... Read More

    WASHINGTON — The Justice Department and 16 state attorneys general sued Apple on Thursday accusing the Cupertino, California-based tech giant of operating an illegal monopoly in the smartphone market. According to the lawsuit, which was filed in federal court in New Jersey, Apple has used the... Read More

    House Passes Bill That Would Lead to TikTok Ban if Chinese Owner Doesn't Sell. Senate Path Unclear

    WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Wednesday passed a bill that would lead to a nationwide ban of the popular video app... Read More

    WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Wednesday passed a bill that would lead to a nationwide ban of the popular video app TikTok if its China-based owner doesn't sell, as lawmakers acted on concerns that the company's current ownership structure is a national security threat. The bill, passed by... Read More

    In New York City, Heat Pumps That Fit in Apartment Windows Promise Big Emissions Cuts

    NEW YORK (AP) — For 27 years, the heat in Regina Fred’s Queens apartment building came from a noisy steam... Read More

    NEW YORK (AP) — For 27 years, the heat in Regina Fred’s Queens apartment building came from a noisy steam radiator that she couldn't control and sometimes didn't come on at all, leaving her shivering. Sometimes, the radiators ran so hot that residents had to keep... Read More

    News From The Well
    scroll top