RURAL BROADBAND ENHANCEMENT ACT -- HON. EARL POMEROY (Extensions of
Remarks - March 30, 2000)
[Page: E448]
---
HON. EARL POMEROY
OF NORTH DAKOTA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Wednesday, March 29, 2000
- Mr. POMEROY. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to join Representative STUPAK
today as an original cosponsor of the Rural Broadband Enhancement Act (RBEA).
This legislation will ensure rural America not be by-passed as high speed
Internet access spreads across the urban areas of our nation.
- The Rural Broadband Enhancement Act will authorize $3 billion in
low-interest loans over the next five years to finance the construction of the
needed broadband infrastructure in rural communities. These loans would be
repayable over 30 years at two percent interest. The program would be
administered through the Department of Agriculture's Rural Utility Service,
and is considered company neutral and technology neutral, so that entities
from regional Bells to rural cooperatives to cable or satellite companies
would be able to serve these communities with the best suited technology. The
Rural Broadband Enhancement Act is modeled on the Rural Electrification Act
which helped light up America when it was enacted more than 60 years
ago.
- We are all well aware that the Internet is now more than just a source of
entertainment. Today people use the Internet to access a variety of
information, from how to buy a car to the latest trends in the stock market to
researching job opportunities or accessing college applications. The Internet
is virtually limitless in the variety of information available, and for rural
communities, broadband capability has the potential to provide an
unprecedented opportunity to overcome the traditional geographic
disadvantages.
- Access to advanced telecommunications services will be an important
component to further economic development opportunities in rural America.
High-speed Internet is rapidly transforming every facet of business and
industry. Economic opportunities will migrate to those areas of the country
that can provide the necessary infrastructure to host them. We must make a
strong federal commitment to support the deployment of advanced
telecommunications services. Only with adequate support will we be able to
stimulate facility investment necessary to deploy advanced services throughout
rural areas. We must not let the digital divide isolate our rural communities.
[Page: E449]
- I look forward to working with Representative STUPAK and my other
colleagues to help pass this legislation.
END