Colorado Congressional Lawmakers Seek ReConnect, USDA Connectivity Revamp

Sen. Michael Bennet and Rep. Brittany Pettersen, both Colorado Democrats, led filing last week of the Connecting Our Neighbors to Networks and Ensuring Competitive Telecommunications (Connect) Act in a bid to revamp the Agriculture Department’s ReConnect program. The measure would shorten USDA’s deadline for making permitting decisions on department-funded broadband projects from 270 days to 180 days. It would designate rural areas that receive non-wireline broadband service as eligible for ReConnect funding and establish a program-specific Office of Technical Assistance. The bill would create an interagency broadband council to recommend uniform speed and application rules for all federal connectivity programs. Sen. Ted Budd of North Carolina and Rep. Juan Ciscomani of Arizona are the measure’s lead GOP sponsors. “It’s time Washington made federal programs easier to access for small providers -- who are most attuned to the needs of their customers -- and strengthened support for local governments, nonprofit organizations, and cooperatives seeking to provide internet service to rural residents,” Bennet said.