Peterson helps secure hundreds of millions of dollars for rural broadband development

This week, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted in favor of an order to help address the budget shortfall in the High-Cost Universal Service Fund (USF), which is also known as the Connect America Fund. This action, which came at the request of Representative Peterson and his colleagues, will provide hundreds of millions of dollars to small, rural operators every year as they work to develop broadband in rural communities.

In October 2017 and May 2018, Representative Peterson led bipartisan letters strongly urging the FCC to increase funding to the High-Cost USF. The letters emphasized the disadvantage that millions of rural Americans without dependable voice and internet services.

“This vote was an important step toward providing rural communities with comparable broadband services for comparable rates,” said Peterson. “I thank the FCC for its decision and will continue to advocate for future investment in the USF.”

“Thanks to the leadership of Representative Collin Peterson and other key members of Congress, the USF reforms adopted today by the FCC should provide much-needed support to help small, rural broadband providers in Minnesota as they work to build out and sustain robust broadband for the benefit of their customers,” said Shirley Bloomfield, CEO of NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association.

“This decision will help ensure that rural America has access to quality broadband for years to come. This reform will provide needed stability to rural broadband providers throughout the country, particularly in Minnesota, as we continue to build border to border broadband in our state,” said Brent Christensen, President and CEO of the Minnesota Telecom Alliance. “This happened in no small part to the leadership of Congressman Collin Peterson. His ongoing support of rural broadband continues to make a difference to the people of Minnesota. We are fortunate to have Congressman Peterson fighting for us in Washington.”