Broadband Access for Rural Areas

The majority of the 1st Congressional District is rural. Rural areas are crucial for Virginia’s economy providing billions to our economy, but they are also increasingly left behind in a digital age.

I want to change that. Rural broadband is key to ensuring all regions have the tools needed to be economically competitive.

While I support the free market, not everything can be based on an immediate profit margin. Basic things like infrastructure need some initial government investment to set us on the right path. Our current situation is similar to what it was like nearly 100 years ago when it came to safe access to electricity. In 1935, at the height of the Great Depression, only 10 percent of rural areas had electricity. By 1950, thanks to public-private partnerships, 90 percent of rural areas had electricity.

It should be the same for broadband.

First, we need to think of our K-12 children and making sure that rural children are able to compete with their more urban counterparts. K-12 children are increasingly relying on internet access for lessons, homework and supplementary material. Homework is often delivered on a tablet that students can take with them on the weekend. But without reasonable access to high-speed internet, many of our kids are being left behind. That’s not fair and it’s bad for America and Virginia in the long run.

Second, we need to think of small businesses. Today, more than 20 percent of businesses operate in rural areas. But the cost of doing business without modern infrastructure is becoming too costly and small business owners are forced to crowd into urban areas with costly rent, higher taxes and an overwhelmed transportation infrastructure. Additionally, for family farms, moving to an urban area is impossible for obvious reasons. As agriculture continues to rely on technology more and more to thrive, our nation needs to invest in our farmers to make sure we are competitive globally with other nations who have already connected their rural areas to the main hub.

Broadband expansion not only increases business and job growth, but also growth in population, per capita income and even GDP. I want to see our small businesses be successful, and that means finding a way to build the infrastructure that makes them thrive.

Third, rural broadband should play a larger role in supporting Virginia’s tourism industry. Many areas such as those in the Northern Neck are finding that the lack of infrastructure on their rural coastline is making it more difficult to get the high-paying tourists that provide seasonal employment and much of their annual tax revenue. Those tourists are going to places with better infrastructure. Public access to wi-fi and digital applications allow visitors to learn about nearby sites, get directions, find attractions and post reviews about their experiences. Broadband can drive tourism dollars into rural communities.

The United States depends on its rural communities to thrive, but this means supporting those rural communities and helping them flourish. No one questions the values of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936. It’s time we do the same with rural broadband.