Political Quotes

“I rise to support H.R. 1542--the Internet Freedom and Broadband Deployment Act. This plan is hugely important for my home State of West Virginia and the rest of rural America. We've heard a lot of talk about the digital divide--the GAP in access information technology between rich and poor. But the digital divide also exists between urban and rural America, and that's just as critical. Today, about 1 out of every 4 Americans lives in a community with less than 10,000 people. But for every 100 of these small towns, only 5 have access to broadband or high speed internet. The lack of broadband access limits the economic potential of rural communities, hindering their ability to attract businesses and retain jobs--especially in today's economy where e-commerce plays such a huge role. Just as a lack of sufficient traditional infrastructures such as roads and sewer systems can deter businesses from operating in rural areas, so too does the lack of technological infrastructures like broadband. Unless we act now to fix this inequity, the absence of an efficient information superhighway will continue to be a barrier to economic development in rural areas. This bill, H.R. 1542 will help break down many of these barriers.”