Rural Broadband Experts Urge Flexibility in ReConnect, More Federal Coordination

House Agriculture Committee members heard from stakeholders Wednesday about the state of USDA's broadband programs and policy ideas related to the 2023 farm bill. Chairman Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., and others at the hearing cited the need for federal and state agency coordination on ongoing programs and ensuring the scalability of broadband networks in rural communities (see 2209150077).

The Rural Utilities Service is "well positioned to serve a leading role in our nation's rural broadband strategy," Thompson noted. Ranking member David Scott, D-Ga, said he hopes to codify and make permanent the agency's ReConnect program through the farm bill. With NTIA receiving the bulk of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act's broadband funding, "it's of most importance that any federal agencies working to expand broadband coverage establish open lines of communication and continue to coordinate resources and projects," Scott said, saying USDA "must take the leading role in expanding high-speed internet to each and every part of our rural communities."

USDA "has the right perspective" because it prioritizes "issues that matter to rural America in broadband funding," said National Rural Electric Cooperative Association CEO Jim Matheson. NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield agreed, saying the agency "understands rural America like no other federal agency."

Some stakeholders sought modifications to how RUS scores its applications and sets requirements for ReConnect. The agency needs to "modernize application requirements" for its programs to encourage participation among qualified providers and "eliminate status-based scoring priorities" that "thwart fair competition," NCTA Executive Vice President James Assay told the committee: "With proper oversight and efficient administration, the next five years offers the best chance yet to shrink the digital divide and bring the benefits of broadband to all."

Providing consumers with 100 Mbps symmetrical speeds should not be a requirement for providers to receive ReConnect support, said Wireless ISP Association CEO David Zumwalt. "Rural consumers are not asking for" those speeds, and it doesn't "represent what urban subscribers are actually using today," Zumwalt said, saying the requirement could prevent some providers from applying to the program.

Zumwalt noted USDA's definition of sufficient access to broadband as speeds of 100/20 Mbps, saying it "aligns with industry experience" and "should be the standard for the farm bill." Bloomfield disagreed, saying symmetrical speed requirements "have been in place for several rounds" of ReConnect and "led to four to five times greater demand than what's available." Requiring symmetrical speeds "is the best use of taxpayers' dollars by building it right the first time," Bloomfield said.

Broadband programs should be "technology neutral" to allow farmers and ranchers to leverage fiber, low earth orbit satellites and 5G to "produce more with less," said Bill Hurley, Association of Equipment Manufacturers Agriculture Sector board chair. Satellite Industry Association President Tom Stroup agreed, urging Congress to adopt "technology inclusive" requirements to allow for "flexibility" in deployment strategies. Hurley noted AEM backed the Precision Ag Loan Program Act, which would establish a loan program within USDA's Farm Service Agency, and the Precise Act, which would designate precision agriculture as an applicable practice in USDA's Environmental Quality Incentives Program.

Panelists emphasized the need to address unserved communities while balancing the need to connect underserved communities without overbuilding. Serving the unserved should be "the No. 1 priority," Zumwalt said. Matheson noted overbuilding is "more nuanced than I think some people describe it" and policymakers "should be careful about creating a false choice" about addressing the needs of only unserved communities.