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Rural High-Speed Internet Access Receives $502M from USDA

Funding will provide high-speed internet access to people, businesses in 20 states

Junior Teixeira | PEXELS
Junior Teixeira | PEXELS

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is awarding $502 million in loans and grants to provide high-speed internet access for rural residents and businesses in 20 states.

The funding is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to investing in rural infrastructure and providing reliable high-speed internet.

Third funding round of ReConnect Program

USDA is making the investments through the third funding round of the ReConnect Program. The department will make additional investments for rural high-speed internet in the coming months, including funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provides $65 billion investment to expand high-speed internet to all communities across the U.S.

“President Biden’s commitment to high-speed internet in rural communities is foundational to ensuring that the nation’s economy continues to expand from the bottom up and the middle out,” said Secretary Tom Vilsack.

“High-speed internet will improve the rural economy. It will help rural businesses grow and get access to new markets. It will help rural residents get access to more and better health care and educational opportunities. USDA knows rural America is America’s backbone, and prosperity here means prosperity for all.”

States impacted by announcement

USDA is making 32 awards in Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas and Wyoming.

USDA has announced $858 million in the third round of ReConnect funding so far and plans to make more investment announcements under this program in the coming weeks.

This announcement follows the department’s July 28 announcement that it has invested $356 million through the ReConnect Program to help very rural residents and businesses in 11 states gain access to high-speed internet.

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