U.S. House Passes Spanberger’s Bipartisan Amendment to Increase Funding for Rural Broadband Infrastructure as Part of Major Appropriations Package

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger today joined a majority of the U.S. House of Representatives in passing an appropriations bill that includes her bipartisan amendment to increase federal rural broadband funding by $55 million.

Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it received applications requesting a total of more than $635 million in loan-grant combination funding through the ReConnect Loan and Grant program, which partners with rural communities and businesses to expand access to high-speed internet in rural and underserved areas. However, this high demand means there is now a 3-to-1 ratio in federal funding dollars requested compared to funding dollars actually available for the ReConnect Program.

Last week, Spanberger successfully led the fight to include her amendment in the funding bill, which would provide a 10-percent funding increase for the ReConnect Program.

“Last week, we saw a clear, bipartisan mandate to expand high speed broadband internet access across our country’s rural communities. Rural homes, farms, and businesses need reliable access to broadband internet to remain competitive and become ultimately successful in our hyper-connected, fast-paced global economy—and demonstrating support for increased infrastructure investment in rural America should never be a partisan issue,” said Spanberger. “Today, I’m proud to vote for this appropriations package, which includes my bipartisan amendment to give rural communities greater access to ReConnect funding. Through increased federal support, rural residents in Central Virginia and across the country can begin to close the broadband gap, attract new employees and businesses, and give students a greater opportunity to succeed.”

“Broadband is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity. The American Farm Bureau Federation thanks Rep. Spanberger for her leadership and commitment to close the digital divide,” said RJ Karney, Congressional Relations Director, American Farm Bureau Federation. “The USDA ReConnect program greatly benefits farmers, ranchers, and rural communities by providing these rural communities with broadband connectivity.”

Last week, Spanberger spoke on the floor of the U.S. House to urge her colleagues to support this amendment. Click here to watch her full remarks, which included stories submitted by Central Virginians as part of Spanberger’s 2019 Rural Broadband Survey.

Spanberger led the effort to increase ReConnect funding by working with the House Appropriations Committee to identify cost offsets that would not negatively impact USDA. Additionally, she gathered a bipartisan group of 12 additional Democrats and Republicans to announce their support for the amendment.

“Investments in rural broadband create economic opportunities, improve education and health care services, and connect communities,” said House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey. “Thanks to Congresswoman Spanberger’s hard work and tireless advocacy, our fiscal year 2020 appropriations bills include significant funding to deliver the promise of broadband to communities in Virginia and beyond. I look forward to continuing to work with Abigail to deliver results for the people, so that Virginians and every American can have a better shot at a better life.”

According to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) 2019 Broadband Deployment Report, one in four rural Virginians lacks access to fixed terrestrial broadband at speeds of 25 Mbps/3 Mbps. This digital divide can lead to consequences that impact educational and economic opportunities in rural America. For instance, according to an Associated Press analysis of U.S. Census data, an estimated 17 percent of U.S. students do not have reliable access to computers at home—and 18 percent of all students do not have access to broadband internet.

Spanberger’s amendment is cosponsored by U.S. Representatives Cindy Axne (D-IA-03), Emmanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO-05), Angie Craig (D-MN-02), Abby Finkenauer (D-IA-01), Jared Golden (D-IA-02), Ron Kind (D-WI-03), Susie Lee (D-NV-03), Denver Riggleman (R-VA-05), Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), Chris Pappas (D-NH-01), Jeff Van Drew (D-NJ-02), and Peter Welch (D-VA-AL).

BACKGROUND

Since arriving in the U.S. House, Spanberger has worked to expand high-speed broadband internet access across Central Virginia’s rural communities, including by:

• Fighting for strengthened funding for rural broadband internet infrastructure in the communities that need it. Earlier this year, Spanberger led a bipartisan effort urging key House Appropriations Committee members to boost funding for rural broadband internet infrastructure—including through the ReConnect Program. And Spanberger also introduced and passed an amendment to improve FCC broadband internet data—and she articulated the need for improved FCC maps on the floor of the U.S. House, particularly as it impacts the eligibility of Central Virginia communities for federal funding.

• Working to collect the stories of Central Virginians and to learn how insufficient broadband internet access negatively impacts them. Earlier this year, Spanberger launched her 2019 Rural Broadband Survey to help identify some of the high-speed internet connectivity challenges facing Central Virginians.

• Bringing the eConnectivity concerns of Central Virginians directly to USDA leadership. During her first House Agriculture Committee hearing, Spanberger asked USDA Secretary Perdue about his thoughts on expanding rural broadband. Spanberger also invited Secretary Perdue to visit her district to hear directly from Central Virginia farmers and dairy producers, and get their feedback on current USDA policies and 2018 Farm Bill implementation. He accepted her invitation. Click here for a full video of her remarks.

• Working with colleagues to find common ground on rural broadband policy. Last month, Spanberger announced her appointment to a new task force focused on expanding high-speed internet access in rural communities. The House Task Force on Rural Broadband will provide coordination and leadership to increase investment in rural broadband internet infrastructure across the United States, and it will operate under an overarching goal to make sure all Americans have reliable access to high-speed internet by 2025. And as Co-Chair of the Blue Dog Coalition’s rural opportunity task force, she co-authored an op-ed in Fox News to highlight the need to pursue smart, bipartisan rural broadband infrastructure policies.

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