The Biden administration and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack have announced $714 million in grant funding aimed at connecting thousands of rural residents across the U.S. with broadband technology.
The grant money is part of President Biden’s “Investing in America” plan focused on reinforcing the U.S. economy and infrastructure by focusing on a “bottom-up and middle-out” approach.
In total, 19 different states will have grant money flowed to their rural communities in an effort to connect the most remote Americans across the U.S. “High-speed internet is a key to prosperity for people who live and work in rural communities,” Secretary Vilsack said.
The grant money comes from various programs such as the USDA’s ReConnect Program, which has already connected upwards of 314,000 rural Americans to high-speed internet, as well as the Internet for All initiative that is part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Some of organizations receiving grant money include North-State Telephone Co., which will make investments in Oregon, the Home Telephone Company connecting over 4,000 people in South Carolina, and the Missouri Goodman Telephone Company, which will be tasked with connecting close to 7,000 people in two counties in Missouri.
“Thanks to President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we can ensure that rural communities have access to the internet connectivity needed to continue to expand the economy from the bottom up and middle out and to make sure rural America remains a place of opportunity to live, work, and raise a family,” said Vilsack.
