Senators Collins, Jones Introduce Legislation to Increase Access to Broadband Services to Rural Americans

Statement

Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Doug Jones (D-AL) introduced the American Broadband Buildout Act of 2019 (ABBA), a bipartisan bill to ensure that rural Americans have access to broadband services at speeds they need to fully participate in the modern society and economy by directing the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to provide up to $5 billion in matching grants to help states improve broadband infrastructure.

Increased download speeds by the FCC allow Americans to not only watch their favorite movies on demand, but also to unlock the Internet's economic benefits, work from home, upgrade their skills through online education, stay connected to their families as they age in place, and access health care through advances in telemedicine.

"As a native of Aroostook County--the largest county by land area east of the Mississippi, with fewer than 70,000 residents --I know how important health care is to the vitality of rural communities. Often, these communities struggle to attract and retain the physicians that they need to ensure access to quality care for their citizens. Broadband can help bridge the gap by enabling innovative health care delivery in these rural communities," said Senator Collins. "Our bipartisan bill would help rural communities access high-speed Internet and overcome this digital divide by funding broadband where it is needed most."

"In too many parts of Alabama -- and across the country -- reliable, high-speed internet is still too hard to come by. It's no longer a luxury, it's a necessity for modern life. This bill will help public-private partnerships fund broadband development in the areas that need it most," said Senator Jones.

Northern Light Home Care & Hospice, which has six homecare and hospice locations throughout the State of Maine, was able to use the Internet and video technology to help support a patient living on an island off the coast of Maine. The video enabled the hospice nurses to monitor the patient's symptoms and provide emotional support to her family.

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