[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 126 (Tuesday, October 1, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9707-S9708]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           THE NEED FOR BROADBAND DEPLOYMENT IN RURAL AMERICA

  Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, as I have on many occasions, I want to 
speak to the very important issue of broadband deployment, especially 
in rural States like my home State of South Dakota. I want to ensure 
new technology is utilized in ways that will help link rural 
communities to new and exciting opportunities available via the 
Internet. New technology will be critical to bringing new jobs, 
educational opportunities, and health care to South Dakota communities.
  As the Senate considers the various proposals on how best to 
encourage the deployment of broadband, I want to make absolutely 
certain that any legislation we pass takes into account the 
extraordinary challenges we face in rural America to deploy advanced 
telecommunications services at an affordable cost to consumers. On this 
point, I must acknowledge and comment on the terrific effort put forth 
by so many of our rural independent and cooperative telecommunications 
providers in South Dakota. These companies have taken very seriously 
their commitment to serving rural communities, and now it's our turn in 
Congress to do our part towards this effort.
  Not only will broadband deployment assist rural communities in 
developing new opportunities, I believe increased broadband deployment 
will help jumpstart our lagging economy. A recent study by an economist 
with the Brookings Institution concluded that adding more broadband 
connections could boost the economy by $500 billion per year. To 
support this finding, computer and technology companies like

[[Page S9708]]

Microsoft, Cisco, Hewlett Packard, Dell, Intel, Corning, Motorola, and 
NCR have weighed in, saying it is critically important for the United 
States to adopt a national broadband policy that encourages investment 
in new broadband infrastructure, applications, and services.
  Broadband deployment should be a national priority in the 21st 
century. In order to be competitive, educate our workforce, and 
increase productivity, the United States must have universal broadband. 
Millions of Americans in rural areas and inner cities are impeded in 
accessing the full range of services available from the Internet 
because they do not have access to broadband service. We should strive 
to connect all Americans to the Internet through broadband technology. 
I will work with my colleagues to find a way to accomplish this goal in 
a fair manner that supports broadband deployment throughout all of our 
Nation.

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