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Hudson Authors Part of Broadband Infrastructure Plan

January 16, 2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 16, 2018
Hudson Authors Part of Broadband Infrastructure Plan
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Richard Hudson (NC-08) released the following statement after the Energy and Commerce Committee introduced a series of resolutions, including one authored by Rep. Hudson, laying out principles for broadband infrastructure:
“Broadband internet has revolutionized how we learn, connect and conduct business. But too many people in rural North Carolina are lacking the internet connectivity they need. This makes it harder for us to get jobs and leaves many without access to services like telemedicine and long distance learning. It is going to take an all-of-the-above approach to solve this problem, and my resolution helps provide an important blueprint to ensure people in rural North Carolina can access broadband.”
According to the Federal Communications Commission, 39 percent of rural Americans – or 23 million people – lack sufficient broadband access. That statistic is simply unacceptable. By removing barriers to buildout, supporting innovation, and focusing on communities that need it most, these four resolutions set the groundwork for a larger legislative process.
  • H. Res __ introduced by Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC), to ensure wireless broadband infrastructure funding preference for states that support small cell siting reform, helping ease the permitting process in communities across the country.
  • H. Res __ introduced by Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Vice Chairman Leonard Lance (R-NJ), to direct broadband infrastructure funding toward areas that are currently unserved.
  • H. Res __ introduced by Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Chairman Bob Latta (R-OH), to ensure federal policy treats all broadband providers in a technology-neutral manner, applying consistent rules that support innovation.
  • H. Res __ introduced by Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), to ensure Federal, state, and local tax, regulatory, permitting, and other requirements are coordinated and reconciled to maximize the benefits of broadband investment.
This plan has received broad support from several stakeholders.
Charter Communications said,“Charter is committed to providing more Americans with faster and better broadband and has invested over $23 billion in its technology and infrastructure since 2014. The resolutions released today by the House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology rightly encourage funding be directed to unserved communities that need it the most and recognize the need for federal policies to be technology neutral. We look forward to working with Congress and do our part to help close the digital divide.”
FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr said,“I commend the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, chaired by Representative Marsha Blackburn, for its leadership in promoting broadband infrastructure deployment. As the four resolutions introduced today by Vice Chairman Leonard Lance, Chairman Bob Latta, Representative Richard Hudson, and Representative Gus Bilirakis recognize, broadband is key to job creation and economic growth. So I applaud Chairman Blackburn and the Subcommittee for their continued focus on removing barriers to broadband buildout. These efforts will help ensure that all Americans—regardless of where they live—can benefit from next-generation technologies.”
NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association CEO Shirley Bloomfield said,“We welcome these resolutions, and hope that they will serve as a further catalyst in the rapidly evolving conversation regarding how best to promote access to broadband. The ultimate touchstones in any infrastructure discussion must be both how we can build these assets in the first instance and how we can make sure these investments are sustainable for the benefit of the consumers and businesses that will depend upon them for years to come. NTCA looks forward to continuing to work with Congress on ways to accelerate broadband deployment while reducing federal barriers that compound the problem of the already high cost of deploying broadband in rural America.”
CTIA Senior Vice President for Government Affairs, Kelly Cole said,“CTIA applauds Representative Hudson’s 5G small cell resolution which provides a vital blueprint for accelerating investment and creating new jobs in U.S. broadband infrastructure.”
American Cable Association President and CEO Matthew M. Polka said,“ACA welcomes the ‘Principles for Broadband Infrastructure’ set forth by House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Chairman Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and her colleagues, Reps. Leonard Lance of New Jersey, Bob Latta of Ohio, Richard Hudson of North Carolina, and Gus Bilirakis of Florida. The principles are sound, providing clear direction to address our nation’s broadband infrastructure concerns. The country needs to remove barriers that stand in the way of broadband investment and deployment. We need to ensure that federal, state, and local taxes and fees, permitting and other government requirements actually facilitate deployment. And, we need to ensure that we have support programs that are targeted to bringing service to unserved locations. Similar principles have helped guide the Federal Communications Commission in its effort to remove barriers to deployment and reform its universal service support programs, which now ensure ongoing support is distributed into unserved areas on a more efficient basis. These new House-sponsored principles will make further progress in driving investment and closing the digital divide. ACA and its members, who have invested and continue to invest billions of dollars to deploy high-performance networks to their customers, stand ready to work with these lawmakers as they consider legislation.”
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