Arlington, Va., (July 18, 2023)— NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association, along with a coalition of 24 other organizations with a vested interest in the vitality and long-term viability of rural America today sent a joint letter to leadership of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees urging support for the ReConnecting Rural America Act amid ongoing consideration of the 2023 Farm Bill. The legislation would make USDA’s ReConnect Loan and Grant Program permanent, ensure networks built leveraging program funds deliver at least 100 Mbps symmetrical speeds, and prioritize awards to areas in which at least 90 percent of households lack 100/20 Mbps.
“With billions of dollars and millions of unserved Americans at stake, it is prudent and responsible for the federal government to invest taxpayer resources based upon more than speculation as to potential performance, marketing hype, and claims of capability not borne out of real-world applications throughout rural America. The minimum speed and other performance criteria for receiving federal funding must be determined by the needs of rural consumers and not set by the maximum capabilities some in the industry feel they can offer. We therefore encourage you to prioritize symmetrical speeds and scalable networks in Farm Bill broadband programs, recognizing the lasting impacts that robust broadband can have on rural economic growth, development, and quality of life,” the letter states.
Supporting Organizations
NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
National Cooperative Business Association
USA Rice
Power and Communication Contractors Association
National Rural Economic Developers Association
National Rural Education Association
Fiber Broadband Association
Utilities Technology Council
National Pork Producers Council
National Turkey Federation
Rural Telephone Finance Cooperative
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
Rural Community College Alliance
Farm Credit Council
National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
National Sorghum Producers
Land O’Lakes, Inc.
National Milk Producers Federation
U.S. Peanut Federation
National Association of Home Builders
The Fertilizer Institute
National Corn Growers Association
American Soybean Association
To read the full letter, please click here.
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NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association is the premier association representing more than 850 independent, community-based telecommunications companies that are leading innovative change in smart rural communities across America. In an era of transformative technological developments, regulatory challenges and marketplace competition, NTCA members are advancing efforts to close the digital divide by delivering robust and high-quality services over future-proof networks. Their commitment to building sustainable networks makes rural communities fertile ground for innovation in economic development, e-commerce, health care, agriculture and education, and it contributes billions of dollars to the U.S. economy each year. Visit us at www.ntca.org.
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