A bipartisan group of nine senators wrote an open letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on Wednesday, urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to make more communities eligible to receive funding from ReConnect, its $500 million rural broadband buildout program.
The senators, led by Ron Wyden, D-Ore., accused the USDA of arbitrarily limiting which rural areas are eligible to receive funds. "As it stands, the USDA program says certain rural areas cannot qualify for the fund if they previously received money from the Federal Communications Commission for satellite service," Emily Birnbaum reports for The Hill. "But the senators say satellite service is not enough to fix the issue of the 'digital divide,' and the USDA's funds could have life-saving impacts for areas that do not have good Internet access."
Other signatories were Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc.; John Barrasso, R-Wyoming; Mike Enzi, R-Wyoming; Doug Jones, D-Ala.; Angus King, I-Maine; Jeff Merkley, D-Ore.; Patty Murray, D-Wash.; and Tom Udall, D-N.M.
The program will provide up to $200 million in grants, $200 million in low-interest loans, and up to $200 million for loan/grant combinations. A second round of ReConnect funding began accepting applications on Jan. 31; applications must be submitted by March 16.
Other signatories were Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc.; John Barrasso, R-Wyoming; Mike Enzi, R-Wyoming; Doug Jones, D-Ala.; Angus King, I-Maine; Jeff Merkley, D-Ore.; Patty Murray, D-Wash.; and Tom Udall, D-N.M.
The program will provide up to $200 million in grants, $200 million in low-interest loans, and up to $200 million for loan/grant combinations. A second round of ReConnect funding began accepting applications on Jan. 31; applications must be submitted by March 16.
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