U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA) on June 17 sponsored bipartisan legislation that would ensure Big Tech companies contribute to the full cost of building high-speed broadband in America’s rural areas.
“Access to high-speed internet is critical to our economic growth in rural communities,” Rep. Feenstra said. “Families, farmers, and businesses across rural Iowa go to great lengths to collect and deploy the necessary funds to build reliable, affordable broadband.
“However, Big Tech companies use these networks once completed but rarely contribute their fair share towards the cost,” he added. “It is completely unfair.”
The Lowering Broadband Costs for Consumers Act, H.R. 4032, which Rep. Feenstra proposed alongside four original cosponsors, including U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM), would require that the largest financial beneficiaries of the networks, also known as edge providers — such as Amazon, Google, Facebook, and Netflix — contribute their fair share toward the networks that are built and maintained by the federal Universal Service Fund (USF), and by consumers who own landlines throughout the country, according to a bill summary provided by the congressman.
“Connecting our schools, farms, businesses, homes, and hospitals to the internet is an important priority for me, and this bill will help achieve this mission more affordably and effectively,” said Rep. Feenstra.
H.R. 4032 would require the Federal Communications Commission to ensure equitable and nondiscriminatory contributions to the mechanisms that preserve and advance universal service toward reducing the financial burden on consumers, according to the Congressional Record bill summary.
The measure has garnered support from USTelecom – The Broadband Association, WTA Advocates for Rural Broadband, the National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative, the Rural Wireless Association, and the National Tribal Telecommunications Association.
“Strong broadband networks are vital to connect Americans to the internet and to each other,” said Rep. Leger Fernandez. “This bipartisan bill will help sustain our rural broadband networks and make sure that the big corporations that profit from those networks also contribute to them.”