U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) last week applauded the inclusion of broadband access improvements in two major appropriations bills signed into law on Dec. 20, 2019 by the president.
“At my urging, several aspects of these funding bills reflect the goals of my Capito Connect plan, whether through providing funds for expanding access in local communities to improved mapping capabilities and measurements,” Sen. Capito said. “I was proud to secure these important funds that will go a long way in furthering our efforts to better connect West Virginia.”
For instance, the fiscal year (FY) 2020 consolidated national security appropriations package includes language directing the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to report its current and planned efforts to improve the accuracy of measurements of broadband coverage, according to a summary provided by Sen. Capito’s office.
The package also funds the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) at $339 million and encourages the FCC to coordinate efforts with the Rural Utility Service to promote broadband in rural America, according to the summary.
Meanwhile, the FY 2020 consolidated domestic and international assistance package provides $550 million for the ReConnect Pilot Program, an initiative Sen. Capito supports and has sought to expand further in West Virginia, the summary says.
Among several other provisions, the package also provides $10 million in funding for the Appalachian Regional Commission to continue high-speed broadband deployment in economically distressed counties in central Appalachia, which is struggling due to the downturn in the coal industry, according to the senator’s office.
“Since my first day in the U.S. Senate, I have been committed to improving and expanding broadband access in West Virginia,” Sen. Capito said, “and I will continue to work for these important initiatives on behalf of all of our rural communities throughout the state.”