John Rice Carter: “I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3293, the Expediting Federal Broadband…”

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3293, the Expediting Federal Broadband Deployment Reviews Act. I thank the bipartisan sponsors for this bill in working to close the digital divide. There are over 7 million American homes and businesses that lack access to high-speed broadband, and it is often lengthy permitting processes that contribute to this digital divide. In every industry ranging from energy to telecommunications, the permitting process gets in the way of investment and deployment and ends up hurting consumers the most. There are so many benefits to communities having reliable internet access such as educational and job opportunities, expansion of small business operations, and simply allowing people and services to reach new populations and areas. Mr. Speaker, this important legislation ensures that broadband deployment on Federal lands gets reviewed and prioritized in a timely manner, while also holding the relevant agencies accountable, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill. {time} 1530”