Senate Bill Refocuses Rural Internet Loans

SENATE BILL REFOCUSES RURAL INTERNET LOANS
[SOURCE: Technology Daily, AUTHOR: David Hatch]
Sens Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Ken Salazar (D-CO) introduced legislation to overhaul a federal loan program designed to spur deployment of high-speed Internet service to rural communities. The initiative, part of the Agriculture Department's Rural Utilities Service, has provided more than 70 loans totaling $1.2 billion since its creation five years ago. But critics complain that most of the money goes to places that do not need it. "RUS has used its limited funds in urban areas, suburban developments and towns that already have access to high-speed Internet," Sen Roberts said. He wants to 1) shift the focus back to rural regions that lack broadband service, 2) enhance incentives for investment and increase the feasibility of loans in rural areas, 3) improve the responsiveness of RUS to Loan and Loan Guarantee applicants and 4) create a new grant program to expand opportunities for state-private partnerships to map where broadband is available, and conduct outreach to areas where it is not.
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/2007/05/senate_bill_aims_to_refocus_ru.ht...

* Sen Roberts' press release:
http://roberts.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressRoom.PressRel...