August 12, 2024 - WASHINGTON – Last week, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) released the statement below following the unanimous Senate Commerce Committee passage of the bipartisan Rural Broadband Protection Act. The bill, which Klobuchar leads with Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), would require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish a more thorough vetting process to ensure that providers applying for federal funding are capable of delivering reliable broadband access to underserved, rural communities. 

“We should be able to bring high-speed internet to every family in Minnesota— regardless of their zip code,” said Klobuchar. “This bipartisan legislation will help Americans connect to work, school, health care, and business opportunities by ensuring the companies that apply for federal funding to build out broadband infrastructure can get the job done. As co-chair of the Senate Broadband Caucus, I’ll keep fighting to close the digital divide and ensure Minnesota families can reliably access the high-speed internet they need.” 

“I have long been dedicated to making sure West Virginians have the broadband connectivity they need and deserve. This legislation expands on my previous broadband efforts, and is a product of many discussions I’ve had with small rural service providers and local leaders in West Virginia. As we continue our efforts to close the digital divide in West Virginia – this bill will make sure that Universal Service Fund dollars are not wasted, and ensure that funding is being used properly to fund broadband deployment in rural areas. Advancing the RBPA for full Senate consideration is another positive step in connecting every last home, school, and business in West Virginia,” Capito said.

Klobuchar has long led efforts to expand broadband access, support rural broadband, and bridge the digital divide.

In June 2023, Klobuchar announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce had awarded major federal funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to bring reliable, affordable, high-speed internet access to every household in Minnesota. The Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act, Klobuchar’s legislation with Former House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC) to expand high-speed internet nationwide, served as the basis for the program created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 

In March 2023, Klobuchar and Senators John Thune (R-SD), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), and Jerry Moran (R-KS) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to expand broadband access to rural communities. The Reforming Broadband Connectivity Act would strengthen funding mechanisms for the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Universal Service Fund (USF), which promotes universal access to broadband and other telecommunications services. Currently, the USF is primarily funded through landline fees, disproportionately impacting seniors, who are more likely to use landlines than other Americans. 

In February 2023, Klobuchar introduced bipartisan legislation with Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) to strengthen broadband access for rural communities. The Rural Broadband Protection Act would ensure that providers applying for federal funding can reliably deliver broadband to underserved, rural communities. 

In July 2021, Klobuchar introduced bipartisan legislation with Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) to expand rural broadband access by streamlining the funding process and removing barriers for broadband connectivity in hard-to-serve rural areas.
Source: Senator Amy Klobuchar