Seventh District Democratic Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger late yesterday secured $55 million in increased funding for Rural Broadband infrastructure.
She says students and farmers and families have trouble with homework, weather and market fluctuations and everyday online activities without broadband.
The money will increase funds in the USDA Reconnect program from $555 to $605 million, where requests outnumber grants 2-1.
“This program allows communities to apply for federal funding to strengthen and expand their infrastructure.”
She admits the money is not a “magic solution,” but a step in the right direction. And critics say the federal government is currently wasting money with confusing and competing programs and what we need most is a national rural broadband policy.
The full house is set to vote on the entire appropriation package in the coming days.
