For Immediate Release
Contact: Kelly Wismer, 703-351-2015, [email protected]
Arlington, Va. (April 12, 2018)—NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association today issued the following statement from Chief Executive Officer Shirley Bloomfield regarding the introduction of the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (Farm Bill) today by the House Agriculture Committee:
“NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association looks forward to working with the House Agriculture Committee on the recently released Farm Bill. We appreciate the Committee’s focus on ensuring U.S. Department of Agriculture broadband programs are helping meet the needs of rural Americans. In the weeks and months leading up to the release of this Farm Bill, NTCA members welcomed the opportunity to testify before the Committee to share the importance of streamlining the USDA RUS program application process, accounting for ongoing federal broadband efforts, investing for the long-term, and looking to providers with a proven track record of success deploying and maintaining services in rural communities.
We thank the Committee for its work and recognition that broadband is critically important to the future of rural America.”
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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 transformative technological advancements, regulatory challenges and marketplace competition, NTCA members are leading the technological evolution for rural consumers, delivering robust and high-quality services over future-proof networks 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, e-commerce, health care, agriculture and education, and it contributes billions of dollars to the U.S. economy each year.