President Trump Supports Rural Internet Upgrade
Just two days ago we talked about the poor state of rural America’s digital infrastructure, and on Wednesday President Donald Trump made it clear that he views it as a priority, telling a crowd in Iowa that he “will be including a provision in our infrastructure proposal…to promote and foster, enhance broadband access for rural America.”
In many communities, people are unable to use multiple devices at the same time – and many can’t even upload a photo from their own home. A lot of people don’t realize that this is actually an infrastructure issue. Prioritizing internet access for rural communities means prioritizing our domestic digital infrastructure, and it’s high time that our policymakers get on board. You can read more about that here, in our blog post detailing the pitiful state of internet connections in many rural counties.
During the Trump Administration’s “Infrastructure Week,” a lot of focus was put on repairing roads and bridges, updating our waterways, and revamping air traffic control. The President’s support for bringing broadband to rural communities is an exciting step that rounds out how America’s infrastructure needs to be improved and include all ideas. A project like this has strong bipartisan support because it would benefit nearly 23 million Americans; our leaders in Washington should see this as reason to take fast action on it.
The GAIN Coalition commends President Trump for bringing rural broadband into the national infrastructure conversation—after all, internet access is linked to higher income and lower unemployment rates.