This week, Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and her fellow Senate Broadband Caucus co-chairs hosted a panel about broadband mapping titled, “Broadband Mapping: Discussing Challenges and Solutions.” At the event, Klobuchar highlighted her bill with Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Joe Manchin (D-WV), and John Hoeven (R-ND) to improve the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) broadband coverage maps and help close the digital divide. The bipartisan Improving Broadband Mapping Act would give policymakers more accurate data—including consumer reported data, and state and local data—on broadband coverage nationwide. The Senate Broadband Caucus is also led by Capito and Senators Angus King (I-ME) and John Boozman (R-AR).
“When I visit Minnesota’s 87 counties, I see the challenges rural communities face without access to broadband,”Klobuchar said. “In order to deploy broadband nationwide, we need reliable data on where service exists and where it does not—but the FCC’s broadband maps overstate coverage in many rural areas, including some in my state and in states across the country. This means that some communities that really need help to deploy broadband are ineligible to receive federal funds. That’s why I introduced the Improving Broadband Mapping Act with Senators Capito, Manchin, and Hoeven to help improve the FCC’s maps and provide better data on broadband coverage nationwide.”
“As we work to close the digital divide and bring high-speed internet to communities across the country, it’s critical that we have a clear and accurate understanding of where broadband is available. Improving the accuracy of the FCC’s broadband maps is a top priority for me, and it’s a top priority for Minnesota,” she continued.