NEWS RELEASE[Vancouver, WA] - Today, U.S. Congressman Brian Baird (D-WA) announced that he has joined with several of his colleagues to introduce legislation that encourages the deployment of broadband telecommunications to rural areas. The "Comprehensive Rural Telecommunications Act," H.R. 5069, establishes programs for low-interest loans, competitive grants, and tax-credits to businesses in order to facilitate the deployment of broadband access to rural areas. Baird said the bill will ensure there is a cost effective way for broadband providers to expand high speed Internet access to his rural counties.
"Just as roads, electricity, and phone lines were necessary infrastructure to build our economy over the past two centuries, high-speed Internet access is necessary to help build the 'new' economy of today and tomorrow," said Baird. "Unfortunately, the rural areas of my Southwest Washington district have been untouched by the expansion of broadband technologies because it is far too cost prohibitive. I am pleased that this new legislation will provide tax incentives for companies to further expand broadband access, giving our rural areas a chance to compete in the new economy and to attract new business."
In early July, Baird convened a U.S. House Science Committee field hearing at the Vancouver City Council Chambers to address the "digital divide" in Southwest Washington - the inequity in access to computers, technology, and high speed Internet access between large cities and small rural communities in his district. Baird said the testimony focused on the need for high-speed Internet access to allow rural communities to be economically competitive with urban areas, to attract new businesses, and to maintain the existing business base. Chris Elverfeld, the President and CEO of CET Technology, Inc., an Internet service provider based in Kelso, testified about the prohibitive costs and other challenges companies like his face in providing broadband services to rural areas. Testimony given at the hearing just a month ago prompted Baird to work with his colleagues to introduce legislation that will attract Internet service providers to his rural counties.
"As an increasing number of companies rely on the Internet in their every day work, they are looking to expand in areas that have access to high speed Internet technology. While counties like Grays Harbor, Cowlitz, Lewis, and Pacific have a beautiful environment, good schools, and tremendous quality of life to offer, ultimately, to new businesses the bottom line is that these rural areas can't offer an essential broadband infrastructure." said Baird. "It is simply unacceptable to allow our rural communities to miss out on the new digital economy because they lack the infrastructure to access the power of the Internet. That is why I have joined with my colleagues in the Rural Task Force to facilitate the deployment of broadband through low-interest loans, competitive grants, and tax-credits to businesses."
Baird said that according to a joint study done by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, while more than 56 percent of all cities with populations of at least 100,000 have a high speed/ large bandwidth Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) available, only 5 percent of cities with populations less than 10,000 have access to DSL service. DSL is a technology for bringing high-bandwidth information to homes and small businesses over ordinary copper telephone lines. Additionally, more than 65 percent of cities with populations of more than 250,000 have cable modem service, however, less than 5 percent of towns of 10,000 or less have this same service. Baird noted that these numbers paint a clear picture that our rural communities are lagging far behind urban areas.
The "Comprehensive Rural Telecommunications Act," H.R. 5069, was introduced late last week and has been referred to the House Commerce, Ways and Means, and Agriculture Committees where it awaits further action.