,,iv #aag? ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,,res4 #hhe ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,( ,,repres5tatives ,janu>y #be1 #bjbb,mr4 ,baird 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,cuell>1 ,ms4 ,/efanik1 ,mr4 ,lucas1 ,mr4 ,bab91 ,mr4 ,banks1 ,mr4 ,b>r1 ,mr4 ,bo/1 ,mr4 ,budd1 ,mrs4 ,cammack1 ,mr4 ,c>ey1 ,mr4 ,c>t] ( ,georgia1 ,ms4 ,*5ey1 ,mr4 ,cole1 ,mr4 ,craw=d1 ,mr4 ,rodney ,davis ( ,ill9ois1 ,mr4 ,ellzey1 ,mr4 ,fallon1 ,mr4 ,fe5/ra1 ,mr4 ,f]guson1 ,mrs4 ,fis*ba*1 ,mr4 ,fleis*mann1 ,mr4 ,gonzalez ( ,ohio1 ,mr4 ,h>ris1 ,mrs4 ,h>tzl]1 ,ms4 ,h]rell1 ,mr4 ,jackson1 ,mr4 ,johnson ( ,s\? ,dakota1 ,mr4 ,kelly ( ,p5nsylvania1 ,mr4 ,ku/(f1 ,mr4 ,la,turner1 ,ms4 ,letl[1 ,mr4 ,mann1 ,mr4 ,mc,kinley1 ,mr4 ,meij]1 ,mrs4 ,mill] ( ,we/ ,virg9ia1 ,mrs4 ,mill] ( ,ill9ois1 ,mrs4 ,mill]-,meeks1 ,mr4 ,mool5a>1 ,mr4 ,ob]nolte1 ,mr4 ,rice ( ,s\? ,c>ol9a1 ,mr4 ,r\z]1 ,mr4 ,smi? ( ,miss\ri1 ,mr4 ,/aub]1 ,mr4 ,/eube1 ,ms4 ,t5ney1 ,mr4 ,tiffany1 ,mr4 ,williams ( ,texas1 & ,mr4 ,wittman7 submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,en]gy & ,comm]ce1 & 9 addition to ! ,committee on ,agriculture1 = a p]iod to be subsequ5tly det]m9$ by ! ,speak]1 9 ea* case = consid]ation ( su* provisions z fall )9 ! jurisdiction ( ! committee conc]n$ ,,resolution ,recogniz+ ! importance ( broadb& 9 rural areas ?r\gh\t ! ,unit$ ,/ates & ! critical ne$ to inve/ 9 broadb& expansion 9 an increas+ly connect$ & digitally dep5d5t _w4 ,:]eas ! ,,covid-#ai p&emic l$ to an increase 9 remote "w & digital communication among all ,am]icans1 m s ?an ev] be=e2 ,:]eas1 z a result ( ! ,,covid-#ai p&emic1 _m bus9esses1 s*ools1 gov]nm5t ag5cies1 & organizations devis$ remote "w /rategies & inve/$ 9 digital alt]natives to replace 9-p]son1 pap]-bas$ me?ods ( do+ bus9ess2 ,:]eas1 s9ce ! ,,covid-#ai p&emic has br\ght *all5ges to rural community bus9esses /ruggl+ to /ay afloat1 *ildr5 access+ virtual s*ool f remote & o!r digitally und]s]v$ locations1 & individuals seek+ to access heal? c>e z rural hospitals h clos$1 broadb& rema9s critically ess5tial to rural communities2 ,:]eas te*nology is trans=m+ ! agriculture indu/ry & *ang+ ! way f>ms op]ate1 & su* advances are l>gely dep5d5t on ma9ta9+ /rong int]net connectivity 9 rural communities2 ,:]eas innovation on f>ms & 9 o!r rural sett+s is sev]ely hamp]$ if ^! locations lack access to robu/ broadb&2 ,:]eas broadb& disp>ities cont9ue to exi/ betwe5 rural & urban communities1 despite ! gr[? & normality t remote "w & digital communication h a*iev$ 9 ! pa/ two ye>s2 ,:]eas consi/5t int]net connectivity is ess5tial = f>m]s1 & a gap curr5tly p]si/s among rural & urban communities ) respect to deliv]+ high-spe$ & reliable broadb& to all ,am]icans2 ,:]eas high-quality int]net access is ess5tial = ,am]icans to "w1 le>n1 & communicate ) "o ano!r1 & x is !re=e important t broadb& access 9 und]s]v$ communities be improv$ & ma9ta9$2 ,:]eas approximately #fj p]c5t ( broadb& capacity is us$ by l>ge provid]s ( cont5t /ream+ s]vices1 & rural broadb& provid]s h difficulty 9 rais+ prices to cov] ! co/s associat$ ) ?is ev]-gr[+ dem&2 & ,:]eas "o ( ! mo/ vital ne$s ( our c\ntry is mod]n & durable infra/ructure1 :i* includes /rong & robu/ broadb&3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x ,t ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives f9ds t-- 7#a7 ! ,nation's broadb& infra/ructure is 9 critical ne$ ( improvem5t1 p>ticul>ly z x affects ,am]icans locat$ 9 rural communities :o cont9ue to /ruggle to /ay connect$ 9 an increas+ly connect$ & digitally dep5d5t _w2 7#b7 9 ord] to exp& rural broadb& assi/ance & to improve ! adm9i/ration & acc\ntability ( ! broadb& programs 9 rural communities1 ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,agriculture %\ld utilize its exp]tise1 exp]i5ce1 & rea* to br+ ^! inve/m5ts to rural ,am]ica quickly & responsibly2 7#c7 ! ,f$]al ,communications ,commission %\ld /udy ! curr5t & project$ dem&s on rural broadb& networks associat$ ) s]vices (f]$ by l>ge provid]s ( cont5t /ream+ s]vices2 & 7#d7 ! ,director ( ! ,(fice ( ,sci5ce & ,te*nology ,policy %\ld e/abli% a broadb& rese>* & developm5t work+ gr\p to address national rese>* *all5ges & opportunities = improv+ broadb& access & adoption across ! ,unit$ ,/ates4