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Eliminating Barriers to Rural Internet Development Grant Eligibility Act

Floor Speech

Date: Nov. 3, 2021
Location: Washington, DC

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Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to be the sponsor of H.R. 3193, the Eliminating Barriers to Rural Internet Development Grant Eligibility Act, or E-BRIDGE, along with the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Guest).

Unfortunately, too many of our communities, particularly in rural America, still lack broadband access. Broadband is critical to conducting business and attracting jobs for telehealth, education, and emergency preparedness and response efforts in this digital age.

While Economic Development Administration, or EDA, grants may already be used to attract jobs in economically distressed areas, there are hurdles to using these grants for broadband projects, including difficult last-mile efforts that often delay rural broadband development. This bill removes those hurdles to help connect and revitalize our rural communities.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Guest).

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Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.

H.R. 3193 is going to ensure that rural and economically distressed communities are equipped to use EDA grants to develop high-speed broadband access. I feel very strongly about this bill, and I urge support of this important legislation.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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