For Immediate Release
Contact: Kelly Wismer, (703) 351-2015,[email protected]
Arlington, Va. (September 28, 2017)—Denny Law, chief operations officer of Golden West Telecommunications Cooperative (Wall, S.D.), testified today on behalf of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association during the Senate Agriculture hearing, “Rural Development and Energy Programs: Perspectives for the 2018 Farm Bill.” The following is excerpted from Law’s written testimony:
“Since the early 1990s, the RUS telecom programs have financed advanced network plant at a net profit for taxpayers and helped deploy state-of-the-art networks to rural Americans left behind by providers unable or unwilling to serve low-population-density markets. With rare exception, RUS, CoBank and the Rural Telecommunications Finance Cooperative (RTFC) are the primary lenders that small rural providers can turn to for outside financing. Not only does RUS help rural America remain connected, its Broadband Loan & Loan Guarantee program and traditional Telecommunications Infrastructure Loan & Guarantee program make loans that must be paid back with interest – creating a win/win situation for rural broadband consumers and American taxpayers.
“The RUS and the High-Cost universal service fund (USF) programs play important, but complementary rather than redundant, roles in promoting the deployment and sustainability of broadband infrastructure in rural America. Promoting greater access to capital through strong, well-tested RUS lending programs, ensuring sufficient funding of USF to make the business case for use of private and/or borrowed capital in rural areas, and streamlining and standardizing of the permits and other regulations that can hinder network deployment must all be seen as critical pieces of a comprehensive, thoughtful national rural broadband strategy.”
The full text of the submitted written testimony is available online.
###
NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association is the premier association representing nearly 850 independent, community-based telecommunications companies that are leading innovation in rural and small-town America. NTCA advocates on behalf of its members in the legislative and regulatory arenas, and it provides training and development; publications and industry events; and an array of employee benefit programs. In an era of exploding technology, deregulation and marketplace competition, NTCA’s members are leading the IP evolution for rural consumers, delivering technologies that make rural communities vibrant places in which to live and do business. Because of their efforts, rural America is fertile ground for innovation in economic development and commerce, education, health care, government services, security and smart energy use. Visit us at www.ntca.org.