Rural Broadband focus of McCaskill meeting with Missouri Rural Electric Cooperatives

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill met with representatives from Missouri’s Rural Electric Co-ops to discuss the importance of investing in the state’s rural broadband infrastructure and the role they can play in connecting Missourians.

“Missouri’s small towns and rural communities can grow and thrive with access to reliable broadband internet—but without it, small businesses can’t compete, students aren’t able to access learning resources, and essential health services go undelivered,” McCaskill said. “Missouri’s electric co-ops were critical in providing electricity to rural Missouri—and I’m eager to work with them to now connect those same communities to high-speed internet.”

Later this year, the Federal Communications Commission is expected to move forward with a first-of-its kind reverse auction to award $198 million a year over 10 years, or $1.98 billion, in funding for broadband in unserved areas. McCaskill—a leading voice in the Senate for improving access to rural broadband—urged the agency to implement safeguards as it prepares to award $1.98 billion in rural broadband funding.

McCaskill is also backing a bipartisan push to improve broadband internet access in Missouri’s rural communities to ensure farmers and ranchers can take advantage of precision agriculture technology to better compete in the global market. Additionally, McCaskill introduced the Community Broadband Act, which would improve internet access in rural areas by protecting the rights of communities to build municipal broadband networks.

Visit mccaskill.senate.gov/rural to learn more about McCaskill’s fight to protect rural Missouri.