Omnibus Spending Bill Provides Additional Investments to Help Close the Broadband Gap in Rural Communities

Press Release
March 11, 2022
Contact: Jon Conradi
[email protected]

Washington, D.C. – Connect Americans Now (CAN) executive director Richard T. Cullen released the following statement Friday in response to the U.S. Senate passage of an omnibus spending bill, previously passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, that includes $550 million for the expansion of broadband service in rural America and $450 million for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) ReConnect Program, a program that provides loans and grants “for the costs of construction, improvement, or acquisition of facilities and equipment needed to provide broadband service in eligible rural areas.”

“Connect Americans Now (CAN) commends Congress for building on the positive momentum for action to permanently eliminate the digital divide with additional solutions to bring affordable and reliable service to unserved and underserved communities,” said Cullen. “CAN encourages Congress, the Biden administration to continue working to maximize the positive impact of federal broadband resources and advance additional, permanent solutions to ensure every person in America has access to affordable, reliable broadband and the digital devices and skills necessary for success in the 21^st century economy and classroom.”

Connect Americans Now (CAN) is a broad-based coalition of more than 300 companies and organizations representing leading voices in agriculture, education, health care, veterans’ issues, technology and small business — committed to urgent action to completely eliminate the digital divide in every American community.

Read more on CAN and our mission HERE.

###