Bringing Broadband Policy to the Places It Matters Most

Thanks to the generosity of NTCA members, the Foundation for Rural Service creates opportunities for policymakers to experience firsthand the realities of rural America. Last week, 14 staff members from the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate joined FRS for the 2026 Congressional Broadband Tour—an immersive, four-day educational program that this year spanned South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska. We believe the true impact of broadband is best understood by visiting communities where reliable connectivity is transforming lives, businesses, healthcare, education, agriculture and public safety. That was the tour’s purpose: to move beyond maps and funding formulas and invite congressional staff to experience rural broadband where it is being built, maintained and used every day.