Oklahoma congressman Frank Lucas joined others in the House in recently cosponsoring a bill to expand broadband service for rural states like Oklahoma.
He and other Republicans on the House Agriculture Committee filed the Broadband for Rural America Act. The measure would help bridge the digital divide for communities across the nation by providing more than $7 billion in authorizations for United States Department of Agriculture broadband connectivity programs, including the Broadband ReConnect Loan and Grant Program.
“Access to affordable, high-speed internet is essential for families, businesses owners, and communities in today’s 21st society,” said Rep. Lucas. ” Unfortunately, rural communities often face challenges as broadband infrastructure is measured by the miles between customers compared to urban communities who measure broadband by the customers between miles.”
He said the act provides important investments to USDA broadband programs which will in turn provide critical modern infrastructure to countless rural communities.
The Broadband for Rural America Act:
- Authorizes $3.7 billion per year for critical rural broadband programs, including the ReConnect Rural Broadband Program, the Middle Mile Broadband Program, and the Innovative Broadband Advancement Program
- Targets limited resources so assistance is focused on the most rural and least-connected residents, which are often the most expensive to connect
- Promotes borrower accountability and protects taxpayers with new tools to ensure promised services are delivered to rural communities.
Lucas has long supported bridging the digital divide, increasing access to broadband for those who call rural Oklahoma home.
In an interview with KOCO News 5 this past February, Lucas stressed the importance of rural Oklahomans having the same access to the same resources as those who live in Oklahoma’s cities and suburbs.
USDA has invested $1,321,116,859 in high-speed broadband infrastructure projects through the Broadband ReConnect Program, including $107,501,570 in Oklahoma.
Read a summary of the legislation here.
Read the legislation in its entirety here.
Read a section-by-section of the legislation here.
Source: press release