The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“INTRODUCTION OF THE RURAL BROADBAND IMPROVEMENT ACT” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E865 on April 26, 2007.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
INTRODUCTION OF THE RURAL BROADBAND IMPROVEMENT ACT
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HON. STEPHANIE HERSETH SANDLIN
of south dakota
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Madam Speaker, today I am pleased to introduce the Rural Broadband Improvement Act. This bill would refocus the Rural Utility Service (RUS) Broadband Loan Program to bring high speed internet access to rural Americans.
Access to broadband service is critical to the quality of life in rural America. It has the potential to be an unprecedented catalyst for economic growth and improvements in education and health care. However, I am concerned that instead of benefiting the rural Americans who need it, RUS is too often being used to subsidize Internet access to suburban and affluent communities that already have multiple high speed internet providers.
According to a USDA Office of Inspector General September 2005 Audit Report on the Rural Utility Service Broadband Grant and Loan Program,
``RUS has not exclusively served those rural communities most requiring federal assistance to obtain access to broadband technologies. Because RUS's definition of `rural area' is too broad to distinguish usefully between suburban and rural communities, the agency has issued over
$103.4 million in grants and loans (nearly 12 percent of $895 million in total program funds) to communities near metropolitian areas.'' The audit report also found that RUS needs stronger controls to prioritize communities without broadband access.
I have introduced the ``Rural Broadband Improvement Act'' to refocus and improve this important program. My legislation would make three simple reforms:
1. It would ensure that RUS loans and guarantees go to truly rural communities;
2. In rural communities that already have some high speed internet service, my bill would ensure that Federal dollars benefit those residents who have no broadband;
3. It would ensure that projects that were intended to be built with federal dollars, but were not built within three years of being granted the loan, are paid back to the U.S. Treasury.
The Inspector General of the Department of Agriculture issued a report criticizing this program. In the President's Budget, the Administration recognized that the program needs to be retargeted to rural Americans who need it. But after five years since this program's inception, precious dollars that could be used to bring high speed internet access to rural homes and schoolhouses across America continue to be misspent.
Now it is time for Congress to act. Please join me to help enable rural Americans to enjoy the same high speed access to the internet that urban and suburban America enjoys.
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