WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Commerce Committee and a long-time advocate for expanding connectivity in rural America, today joined 47 of her Senate colleagues in urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to prioritize sustainable rural broadband networks as the FCC considers new rules in the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) proceeding.
Under the newly-formed RDOF, the FCC would commit more than $20 billion over the next 10 years to supporting high-speed broadband networks to at least 4 million homes and businesses in rural areas.
“As the FCC moves forward to adopt new rules in the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund proceeding, we urge you to promote the deployment of networks that will be sustainable even as new advancements are made and are capable of delivering the best level of broadband access for the available USF budget for many years to come,” the senators wrote.
Joining Senator Fischer in sending the letter were U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-N.V.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Kevin Cramer (D-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Angus King (I-Maine), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Martha McSally (Ariz.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), David Perdue (R-Ga.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Jacky Rosen (D-N.V.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.).
Read the full text of the letter here.
