Items Tagged with 'SHIRLEY BLOOMFIELD'

The infrastructure spending deal that President Joe Biden struck with a bipartisan group of senators could go a long way toward addressing critical agriculture needs, from improving waterways to making high-speed internet universal and fixing many crumbling bridges and roads.

The arena of rural broadband interests – providers, companies, co-ops, and government agencies – all hit the ground running when COVID-19 invaded.

Advocates say the Department of Agriculture's ReConnect program is working when it comes to building out high-speed internet technology into rural America but say higher speeds and more government funding is needed in the years ahead.

Companies say internet network capacity has stayed strong the last two months, but some providers are struggling to repay loans, provide internet routers, or find enough personal protective equipment to protect workers from COVID-19.

A bill to expedite permitting for broadband projects on federal land easily cleared the House Natural Resources Committee Wednesday, cheering advocates of rural broadband.