Rural Broadband Bill Introduced by Senators [telecom]

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By Laura Hamilton, CED, Thu, 09/29/2016

U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) introduced a bill on Wednesday they say could help close the digital divide in rural areas in the U.S. It would allow for federal grants of up to 50 percent of a project's cost, and up to 75 percent for remote, high-need areas, to be awarded in combination with loan funding already available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service.

It also would double the authorized funding for the Rural Utilities Service's Broadband programs to $50 million per fiscal year.

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Neal McLain