Rural Broadband Development

Floor Speech

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Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss an issue that is incredibly important to me as a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee.

My vision for the future of rural America includes rebuilding the communities that provide much of our food, fiber, and energy, and to provide support for a robust rural economy. Of course, this is virtually impossible without reliable, high-speed, 5G broadband connectivity.

In the late 1800s, Thomas Edison created the first practical incandescent lightbulb. By 1925, half of all homes in the United States had electricity. Today, we take electricity for granted. We don't think twice when we flip a switch.

As we continue to experience today's modern technical revolution, it is my goal to see 5G broadband just as commonplace. Twenty-four million Americans still do not have access to broadband, and the vast majority of these people live in rural areas.

A 2017 study by the United States Department of Agriculture discovered that 29 percent of American farmers did not have reliable internet access, despite the fact that agriculture is all about technology today. Without reliable broadband access, we are leaving money on the table, and the American economy is failing to meet its fullest potential.

Connectivity and competition go hand in hand, and we can continue to invest in rural communities with 5G. Agriculture, healthcare, energy, education, and so many other industries demand this level of service.

In 2018, we ushered in a new farm bill that underscored the importance of broadband in rural America. Under broadband guaranteed lending programs, larger rural communities are permitted to build infrastructure for telecommunication networks.

The farm bill also supports broadband development where it is most needed by prioritizing funds to rural communities that are at least 90 percent unserved.

We can also encourage innovation on this front through opportunity zones. Established by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Mr. Speaker, opportunity zones incentivize long-term investments--private-sector investments--in rural, underserved, or economically distressed areas across the Nation through public-private partnerships.

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, there are 300 opportunity zones--there are 18 congressional districts--and I am proud that 31 of these are in my district.

To tackle broadband development head-on, the FCC has introduced the idea of gigabit opportunity zones, and the proposal has a promising future ahead of it. Gigabit opportunity zones are designed specifically to address underserved areas by incentivizing State and local governments to foster connectivity, ultimately streamlining regulations, supporting job creators, and strengthening our neighborhoods.

Mr. Speaker, with continued investment in 5G broadband development, the future of rural America looks bright.

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