Expanding Rural Broadband

Friends,

Recently, I was walking to vote at the U.S. Capitol with a Congressman from an urban area of the country. We began talking about agriculture and he told me, "I don't have any ag interests in my district." I responded with, "Oh really? Your constituents don't like to eat or wear clothes?" The Congressman paused, and got my point.

The reality is we all rely on farmers every single day. As the founder and current co-chair of the Agriculture and Rural America Task Force, I strongly believe that farmers are vital to our nation.

Because of my commitment to our farmers and rural communities, I invited U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue to visit our district. Recently, he accepted my invitation and joined me in our region to make an important announcement.

At a church in West End, Secretary Purdue announced money to expand broadband in rural Moore County. The USDA is investing $2.3 million to connect 3,333 people, 17 farms, 26 businesses and nine education facilities to high-speed broadband internet in Moore County. Randolph Telephone Membership Corporation will deploy the fiber-to-the-premises network. This new funding for our community was provided through the recently passed CARES Act, which I supported for COVID-19 relief.

The Pilot newspaper said, "This grant program is a good example of our federal dollars coming home to help. We're glad to see it."

I couldn't agree more. Connecting rural families with broadband has been a longstanding priority for me, and there has never been a more important time to take action on this. As the world continues to modernize and we become increasingly dependent on technology to stay connected during the COVID-19 pandemic, families, farmers, schools, and businesses need reliable broadband. The new ‘haves' and ‘have-nots' in our society are those who have access to broadband and those who don't. However, whether you live in a rural area or urban one shouldn't determine the opportunities you have. That's why I'm determined to bring broadband to all our communities.

Following the announcement, Secretary Purdue joined me for a roundtable discussion and tour of a 7th generation family farm on the Cumberland and Harnett County line to discuss priorities for farmers.

Agriculture remains the top industry in our state and I recognize that our farmers and agribusiness leaders are some of the hardest workers in our nation. I always seek to hear directly from them. We discussed a range of issues including challenges caused by COVID-19 and disaster relief programs. Thanks to the leadership of Secretary Perdue and President Donald Trump, we are making great strides to protect our farmers and move forward together during these challenging times.

Whether it's adjusting to life under COVID-19, assisting rural communities, or ensuring our best days are ahead of us, everything I do puts you first. Our communities are strongest when we work together, and I will continue to work to restore our way of life, rebuild our economy and renew the American dream for everyone – no matter where you live.

Until next week,

Richard Hudson

Member of Congress