Eliminating Barriers to Rural Internet Development Grant Eligibility Act

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1752, as well, the E-BRIDGE Act, which creates high-speed broadband opportunities at the Economic Development Administration and for the public, both in rural areas and in inner city, underserved areas. It makes public-private partnerships and consortiums eligible for grant awards.

Without having access to broadband, you can't keep up economically or socially.

Access to reliable high-speed internet is a vital tool for participation in today's workforce and economy. Despite a clear commitment to broadband access across Federal agencies, E-BRIDGE is still necessary.

While the EDA can fund the deployment of broadband infrastructure in communities most in need of assistance, many communities lack the financial and technical resources necessary to apply for these funds.

By clarifying that public-private partnerships and consortiums are eligible, the E-BRIDGE Act enables communities to leverage private sector expertise without disqualifying them from receiving EDA assistance.

The bill provides grant applications with additional flexibility in financing broadband infrastructure projects by clarifying that EDA funds can be combined with other Federal resources and allowing real or personal property to count toward the non-Federal share of a project's costs.

The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Graves has introduced this legislation in the 116th and 117th Congresses. In the 117th Congress, the bill passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support by a vote of 410-16.

I support this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. I thank Mr. Graves for pursuing this legislation again, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, as has been discussed, this bill would help close the digital divide and help communities across the country connect to reliable high-speed vital for participation in today's workforce and economy.

In Mr. Graves' own State of Missouri, it would allow people in the bootheel of Missouri to connect so much closer to the city of Memphis, where they will want to come and hear music, eat barbecue, and watch the Cardinals' farm team play baseball.

Mr. Speaker, I support the legislation and urge all my colleagues to do the same, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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