WASHINGTON, D.C. – One of the Peoria-area’s Congressman is introducing legislation to try and make broadband internet more accessible in rural areas.
17th District Congressman Eric Sorensen (D-Moline) is behind two bipartisan bills to assist in that effort, and spoke about them on Monday.
One bill is the “ReConnecting Rural America Act.” The bill would reauthorize the USDA’s ReConnect Program to improve service speed requirements, and prioritize broadband for the communities most in need.
“It’s senior citizens that are doing those doctor’s visits from home now on their smartphones. You can’t do precision agriculture if you don’t have broadband. And so this really puts us at a disservice if we can’t get something like this done,” Sorensen said.
The other bill is the “Rural Broadband Assistance Act.” Sorensen says the aim of that bill is to help rural communities, non-profits, and businesses with applying for federal funding for broadband.
“Not every city in our district, in Illinois 17 can afford to have or hire a grant writer,” Sorensen said. “In fact, there are many of those folks that need to write the grants that are driving the lawnmower in the City Park today.”
The ReConnecting Rural America Act is co-sponsored by Congressmen Zach Nunn of Iowa, and Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico. The Rural Broadband Assistance Act
Sorensen says he is hopeful to have both bills included as part of a new farm bill.
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