Connecting the World to Nebraska

Statement

Broadband serves as a bridge between Nebraska and the world. Connecting to high-speed internet is vital for all Nebraskans. Our families, students, communities, and businesses all rely on it every day to share, send, and use information.

Access to broadband is especially important for Nebraska's agricultural sector. In our 21st-century world, livestock producers have the ability to monitor their livestock with connected devices, enabling them to maintain healthy herds. To supply the world with our state's great agricultural products, all of our ranchers and farmers must have the ability to access the most up-to-date news on weather and commodity markets to make critical decisions such as knowing when to sell crops and when to place them in storage. Additionally, by extending the reach of broadband networks, more of Nebraska's small businesses will be able to reach customers online, enhancing their marketing opportunities.

Broadband isn't only a boon for Nebraska businesses, however. Increasing the availability of broadband will strengthen our communities. It allows for more access to the goods Nebraskans need and products that can make our lives better, some of which may not always be available locally. In other cases, it can even save lives by allowing those who live far from the nearest medical center to connect remotely with health care providers for routine check-ups or specialist visits.

I believe the federal government has a responsibility to work with states and private industry to facilitate infrastructure development. Investments in infrastructure help our economy grow and our communities prosper. Broadband is a significant part of infrastructure and we have to work through the remaining challenges standing in the way of access to this important service.

One of these challenges is cost.

Building broadband infrastructure­ is expensive. Finding companies willing to invest in providing rural internet access is difficult. Too often, this problem creates unfortunate obstacles for Nebraskans looking to buy reasonably-priced broadband services. It's time for that to change.

In that vein, I joined Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota in leading a bipartisan group of senators in addressing a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). In it, we asked the agency to continue working to advance broadband deployment in rural areas of the country where these services are still very expensive.

The FCC has had some success working on this problem in the past, but the agency must do more to ensure families can buy more affordable high-speed broadband regardless of where they live.

Lowering the cost of internet infrastructure will allow our state to be a stronger competitor in the world market. Nebraskans will be able to expand their businesses if they have the latest technology and the most current information available.

Increased broadband access helps build stronger communities by creating a network that can connect families in the blink of an eye. Increased access means that deployed Nebraska military personnel can email and video chat back home while they're away. Parents can stay in touch with students who go away to college. Grandparents can see and hear from their grandkids more often. When more Nebraskans have access to broadband, their loved ones feel a little bit closer. No matter the distance, families can stay in touch.

Building the accessible broadband networks of tomorrow requires common-sense reform today. By working together to create sound public policy, we can achieve the goal of making affordable high-speed Internet available to everyone in our state. All Americans deserve an opportunity to compete and succeed in the digital world. I will continue to work in a bipartisan way to make that a reality.

Thank you for participating the democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week.

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