Bill to reduce rural provider regulatory burdens passes unanimously

Rules and regulations by Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Pix4free

​The U.S. Senate has unanimously passed the *Access to Capital Creates Economic Strength and Supports (ACCESS) Rural America Act*, which aims to relieve small broadband providers of costly regulatory burdens. The bill now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.  

The legislation has garnered praise from NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association, with CEO Shirley Bloomfield expressing gratitude to Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) for their bipartisan support. Bloomfield emphasized that current SEC registration and reporting rules, designed for large public companies, disproportionately burden smaller, locally owned broadband providers. She noted the bill would enable rural providers to focus on expanding broadband infrastructure instead of navigating onerous regulations.  

John Klatt, CEO of Lakeland Communications, echoed this sentiment, stating the bill would allow rural providers like his company in northwest Wisconsin to concentrate on building fiber networks and supporting rural communities. He urged the House to pass the act promptly.  

In addition to Senators Baldwin and Ernst, the bill was co-sponsored by Senators Krysten Sinema (I-AZ), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), and Chuck Grassley (R-IA). Supporters believe the legislation is essential for fostering broadband development in rural areas by alleviating unnecessary financial and administrative strain.

CLICK HERE for more about the bill at Broadband Communities, a CBAN advocate member and media partner.

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