[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 147 (Wednesday, October 7, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S7221]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. KLOBUCHAR (for herself, Mr. Daines, and Mr. Gardner):
  S. 2163. A bill to amend title 23, United States Code, to direct the 
Secretary of Transportation to require that broadband conduits be 
installed as a part of certain highway construction projects, and for 
other purposes; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
  Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, as a fifth generation Montanan, I have 
seen firsthand the struggles rural America faces when it comes to 
broadband connectivity. I worked in the cloud computing industry for 13 
years, so I also know the opportunities created by technology and 
connectivity.
  Not only does access to broadband connect rural Americans and tribal 
communities to the rest of the world, but there are many farming 
applications that will enable farmers in Montana to be more efficient 
and equip them to feed the growing population. Despite the importance 
of connecting these communities, Montana remains ranked among the worst 
States for broadband connectivity and there are too many instances 
where the Federal Government stands in the way of broadband 
infrastructure deployment. This is especially important for States like 
Montana where 29 percent of the State is federally owned. Every Federal 
agency has their own set of requirements for siting infrastructure on 
Federal lands, and the process can take up to 10 years in some cases. 
This burdensome, bureaucratic process is driving industry away from 
serving rural America and tribal lands.
  That is why I am proud to introduce the bipartisan Streamlining and 
Investing in Broadband Infrastructure act with my colleagues Senator 
Klobuchar and Senator Gardner. The bill implements a dig once policy 
that incorporates broadband conduit installation into new highway 
projects. It also directs the Federal Government to further consolidate 
and streamline siting on Federal lands by establishing a fee schedule 
for the grant of property interests and by developing a master 
application form for communications construction on all Federal lands. 
Making effective use of existing resources and streamlining these 
processes are essential to continue broadband deployment in rural 
America. By making it easier for providers to lay the groundwork for 
broadband, we take an important step toward connecting our unserved 
communities.

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