David Young
U.S. Rep. David Young (R-IA) and U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-SD) introduced legislation that would direct the Federal Communications Commission to adopt basic quality standards for telephone providers in rural areas to improve call service.
The bipartisan, bicameral Improving Rural Call Quality and Reliability Act aims to improve the transmission and quality of voice calls for businesses, families and emergency responders in rural communities.
“Our rural communities in Iowa and across America rely on consistent and reliable phone service to run their businesses, to respond to emergencies, to keep in touch with their friends and family, and to simply live their lives,” Young said. “I’m pleased to work with my colleagues in both the House and Senate on this important bipartisan legislation, to ensure quality phone service access is not a challenge for folks based on where they choose to live.”
For most Americans, Thune said, grabbing a phone and dialing a number is “a task as routine as they come.”
“But believe it or not, for a lot of folks who live in rural states like South Dakota, call completion and reliability can still be a challenge today,” Thune said. “I’m committed to finding solutions that improve rural telecommunications services, which is why I’m a strong supporter of the bill we’ve just reintroduced. I want to thank U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) for her leadership on this issue and look forward to once again considering this legislation in the Commerce Committee.”