Westerman Hosts Event Promoting Rural Broadband Expansion

On February 20, U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Utilities Service (RUS) Arkansas state director David Branscum and South Arkansas Telephone director Mark Lundy hosted a rural broadband panel discussion highlighting the recent USDA RUS grant that South Arkansas Telecom received, and focusing on practical steps to widen the reach of future rural broadband services. Westerman issued the following quote in response:

"In 2018, Congress and the Trump administration passed the Farm Bill, which included programs to partner with private entities to expand rural broadband connectivity so that more Americans can have access to the opportunities afforded by high speed internet.

"The programs the 2018 Farm Bill authorized include low interest loans, as well as loan guarantee and competitive grant programs. Today's event celebrates this progress, as 25,000 more rural residents in south Arkansas will soon have access to high speed connectivity."