[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 68 (Thursday, April 26, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E865]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          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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