CHARLESTON, W.Va. – This week, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, joined a bipartisan group of colleagues in pushing the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to take action to increase broadband speed requirements in its existing programs. The effort, which was led by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and John Thune (R-S.D.), would allow Americans, particularly in rural and underserved areas, the opportunity to have access to the download and upload speeds necessary to participate in telehealth, telework, and remote learning.
“Without agency action, the FCC risks leaving Americans in rural areas behind. We respectfully urge the FCC to take action to enhance these programs as soon as possible. Doing so will position the FCC to better respond to the needs of our constituents living and working in rural high-cost areas. We appreciate your work to bring fast, reliable, and affordable broadband to every American,” the senators wrote.
The FCC is considering proposals to update two programs – the Alternative Connect American Cost Model (ACAM) and Connect America Fund Broadband Loop Support (CAF-BLS) – that help connect people in rural America to affordable broadband services that are provided by local, smaller telecom companies. These updates, which would extend financial support in exchange for commitments to serve more people at higher broadband speeds, would connect more West Virginians to the kind of internet service necessary to participate in West Virginia’s modern digital economy.
The letter urges the FCC to move forward with updates to these programs that would give more West Virginians access to higher-speed broadband than what is currently required.
In addition to Senators Capito, Baldwin, and Thune, the letter was also signed by Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), and Gary Peters (D-Mich.).