New Bill to Bring Benefits of Broadband to Rural America

House Representative Tom Allen (D-ME) today introduced H.R. 5682, the Rural America Communication Expansion (RACE) for the Future Act, a push to bring broadband and its economic and social benefits to rural areas across the country. “My RACE for the Future Act aims to provide all Maine people their entrance ramp to the internet superhighway,” said Rep. Allen, during an announcement held in Bangor, Maine.

The bill proposes a combination of tax incentives, grants, loans, and supports for current federal development programs to spur the growth of widely available and affordable Internet in rural America.

Policy that helps spread the benefits of high-speed communications infrastructure to all citizens is a good thing. In his report, Ubiquity Requires Redundancy,” Science Progress advisory board member Mark Lloyd explained how Internet connectivity in rural areas is a critical component of homeland security and natural disaster response. Broadband can also improve rural healthcare, education, and economies, argues Nancy Scola, who examines successful programs in Virginia in her article Science Progress, “Broadband Done Right.”

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