Secretary Tom Vilsack of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) made the announcement on June 12, 2023, in Washington, that $714 million in grants and loans will be distributed to connect thousands of rural residents, farmers, and business owners in 19 states to fast, affordable high-speed internet. One central component of President Biden’s Investing in America plan to rebuild our nation’s infrastructure, which is driving over $470 billion in private sector manufacturing investments and the creation of well-paying jobs, is connecting all communities across the nation to high-speed internet.
Secretary Vilsack stated, “High-speed internet is a key to prosperity for people who live and work in rural communities.” Because of President Biden’s Bipartisan Framework Regulation, we can guarantee that provincial networks approach the web network expected to keep on extending the economy from the base up and center out and to ensure country America stays a position of chance to live, work, and raise a family.”
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes $65 billion for the Internet for All initiative, which is part of the President’s Investing in America agenda. In this fourth funding round for the ReConnect Program, USDA is connecting more people to high-speed internet. The Department has invested in 142 ReConnect projects since the Biden-Harris administration began, bringing high-speed internet access to 314,000 rural Americans.
The USDA’s investments in Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, and Washington—all worth $714 million—are included in today’s announcement. Here are some examples:
Southern States:
In Berkeley County, South Carolina, the Home Telephone Company will receive a grant from the ReConnect Program to connect nearly 4,000 people, 49 businesses, 46 farms, and two educational facilities to high-speed internet.
In Benton County, Arkansas, the Decatur Telephone Company will provide high-speed internet access to 5,400 people, 257 farms, 74 businesses, and four educational facilities.
In West Asia:
A fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network that will connect 1,490 people, 64 businesses, and 43 farms in Wasco County, Oregon, to high-speed internet will be installed by the North-State Telephone Co.
In California’s Modoc and Siskiyou counties, the Cal-Ore Telephone Company will connect 757 people, 45 businesses, 14 farms, and four educational facilities to high-speed internet.
By participating in the Affordable Connectivity Program of the Federal Communications Commission, both businesses will make monthly internet service more affordable.
Midwestern states:
In McDonald and Newton counties, Missouri’s Goodman Telephone Company Inc. will connect nearly 7,000 people, 206 farms, 140 businesses, and two educational facilities to high-speed internet.
In Bourbon, Cherokee, Crawford, Labette, and Neosho counties, the Craw-Kan Telephone Cooperative Inc. will connect 4,189 people, 821 farms, 149 businesses, and three educational facilities to high-speed internet.
Please see the complete list of projects from today’s announcement for more details.
Background: ReConnect Program Applicants for the ReConnect Program must reside in a rural area without access to service at download speeds of 100 Mbps and upload speeds of 20 Mbps. In addition, applicants must pledge to construct facilities capable of providing 100 Mbps (download and upload) high-speed internet service to each location in the proposed service area. Additionally, all awardees will be required to apply for participation in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in order to guarantee that rural households in need of internet service can afford it. Internet service is discounted by the ACP by as much as $75 per month for households on Tribal Lands and as much as $30 for low-income households.
Background: Bipartisan Infrastructure Law President Biden demonstrated that our democracy can result in significant victories for the American people by achieving consensus and compromise among Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. President Biden delivered the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, a historic investment in America that will improve people’s lives and get America moving again after decades of talk about rebuilding its crumbling infrastructure.
Through a historic investment in the deployment of broadband infrastructure, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides $65 billion to ensure that every American has access to affordable, dependable high-speed internet. Additionally, the legislation helps close the digital divide and reduces the cost of internet service, allowing more Americans to take full advantage of the opportunities offered by the internet.
Visit www.rd.usda.gov or get in touch with the state office of USDA Rural Development that is closest to you to learn more about investment resources for rural areas.
Loans and grants are provided by USDA Rural Development to assist millions of Americans living in rural areas in expanding economic opportunities, creating jobs, and enhancing quality of life. Improvements to the infrastructure are aided by this assistance; expansion of the business; housing; facilities for the community, such as schools, health care, and public safety; and access to high-speed internet in rural, tribal, and poverty-stricken areas.
