Contact: Allison Kubacki
Phone: (920) 360-7696
Email: akubacki@arenastrategy.com
Delegation spoke with congressional leaders during visit to Washington, D.C.
Three Wisconsinites were among the over 125 members of a nationwide collaboration of chambers of commerce, the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association, the National Grange, teachers, farmers and small business owners who came together at the nation’s capitol last Tuesday in an effort to champion their cause – expanding broadband’s reach into all areas of the country, especially the traditionally underserved rural areas.
Members participated in a press conference in front of the Capitol and then went off to meet with members of Congress, the offices of Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to explain how access to high-speed broadband will benefit their businesses, enhance economic development and generate jobs locally.
Tom Still, President of the Wisconsin Technology Council joined Sam Perlman, Door County’s Economic Development Manager and Tom Wall, the president of Dairy Interactive, LLC and Language Links, LLC in meetings with offices of both Senators and all eight U.S. House members from Wisconsin to discuss how bringing broadband to rural sections of Wisconsin will benefit the state.
“Broadband access outside Wisconsin’s metropolitan areas is not yet sufficient to support greater entrepreneurial activity and better support existing industries,” said Still. “We will urge our leaders in Washington to support programs that promote expanded access of broadband where it’s needed most.”
President Obama has set a national goal of universal broadband deployment by 2016, but so far, there is no national plan to expand broadband to reach the 30 percent of Americans who cannot access broadband—the vast majority of whom live in rural America. This event allowed for people from all corners of the country to personally share their stories regarding both the frustrations and potential greatness that broadband holds for their rural areas with the different lawmakers.
“The National Grange has been advocating for affordable access to broadband in rural America for a long time,” said Ed Luttrell, National Grange President. “Never before in our efforts have we seen so many diverse organizations, telecommunications companies and advocacy groups at the same table with the same commitment and vision. I believe the drumbeat of increased access to broadband in rural America has been heard in our Nation’s capital this week.”
