Capito bill fostering broadband deployment in rural areas draws additional support

Legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) to support broadband internet expansion in rural areas and low-income communities received additional support on Tuesday from both sides of the aisle.

Capito announced that U.S. Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) had joined the Gigabit Opportunity (GO) Act that she introduced in May. In addition, U.S. Rep. Evan Jenkins (R-WV) joined the House version of the bill that U.S. Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA) introduced earlier this month.

“Expanding access to broadband will open so many doors for our low-income and rural communities,” Capito said. “By attracting investment and easing the regulatory process, the GO Act will help connect communities in West Virginia and across the country and create new opportunities to find work, create jobs and grow our economy.”

The GO Act would help spur private investment by enabling companies to defer some capital gains taxes by investing in long-term broadband infrastructure, and it would allow immediate expensing for investments in gigabit-capable broadband expansion.

The legislation also would direct the Federal Communication Commission to provide a regulatory framework that state and local governments could voluntarily adopt to streamline broadband regulations in so-called “Gigabit Opportunity Zones.”

“It’s imperative that we attract new businesses and industries to West Virginia, but many rural areas lack the broadband access we need to be competitive,” Jenkins said. “Businesses choose to build where infrastructure, including broadband, helps them succeed. Investing in broadband creates jobs, spurs investments, diversifies the economy, strengthens educational opportunities and improves the quality of life for everyone.”

Collins said countless communities across the country have had economic growth stifled by a lack of broadband access.

“In the twenty-first century, education, jobs and economic success are tied to digital infrastructure, and I’ve introduced the GO Act to increase broadband investment in rural America through smarter, simpler policies based on market competition,” Collins said.

The GO Act has drawn broad support, including from FCC Chairman Ajit Pai.