In the 21st century, access to high-speed, affordable internet is critical to the success of our rural communities and our long-term economic vitality. Reliable broadband connection ensures that our families can work from home, our farmers can effortlessly monitor commodity prices online, and our main street businesses can utilize the technology they need to serve their customers and make a living. To promote economic development and grow our rural communities, dependable internet connection is a must.
However, we have serious work ahead to connect more Iowans to the internet. According to data from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Iowa ranks 45th in the nation for internet connectivity, and only 18.5% of Iowans have access to low-cost broadband. These figures are concerning, and quite frankly, unacceptable. Born and raised in rural Iowa, I know that too many families and communities lack access to high-speed broadband, which is an absolute necessity in today’s interconnected economy. That’s why we need to implement solutions to expand broadband service at low costs for Iowa families.
Gathering input from my constituents and working with our local providers, I introduced legislation that will take real steps to connect more Iowans to the internet and ensure that upload and download speeds keep up with the demands of our families, farmers, and businesses in rural America. As a matter of policy, my bill — the Rural Broadband Modernization Act — will provide grants and loans to rural communities to help expand rural broadband access, construct the necessary infrastructure for broadband deployment, and increase minimum broadband speeds in rural areas.
But my legislation does more than just check a box for broadband connectivity; it ensures that our families and businesses benefit from rapid internet speeds. Currently, the FCC considers upload and download speeds of 25 megabits per second (Mbps) sufficient for broadband connection. Additionally, national FCC broadband maps claim that the entire state of Iowa has adequate connection to the internet. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. On my biannual 36 County Tour, I have spoken to countless Iowans who lack the necessary and modern broadband speeds — or internet connection at all — to work, utilize precision agriculture tools, and interact with the outside world.
My plan goes much further. My legislation will specifically update obsolete broadband upload and download speeds – first approved in the 2018 Farm Bill – in the federal ReConnect program that reflect the urgent need for faster internet capabilities in rural communities. At a minimum, as established by my bill, broadband service in rural communities should deliver 100 Mbps for both upload and download speeds, which is the gold standard for broadband connection. This is a significant upgrade from the insufficient 25 Mbps that the FCC considers sufficient.
Reliable, affordable broadband service generates economic activity in our rural communities and connects our families to the world. In Congress, I will continue to advance policies that uplift our families, help our small businesses prosper, and incentivize economic development. As I’ve long said, our rural communities deserve state-of-the-art broadband connection, and I will always be a strong voice for high-speed, low-cost broadband expansion in rural Iowa.
We are government together, and your thoughts and opinions matter to me. Please contact my office at Feenstra.House.Gov or by phone at 202-225-4426 if I can ever be of assistance. I am proud to represent our families, farmers, main street businesses, and rural communities in Congress.
