Broadband Archives - Senator Steve Daines

Daines Bill to Prevent Loss of Cell Service, Strengthen National Security Passes Senate

December 18, 2024

Today, U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.) along with Senators Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss), and Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) announced that their bill to fully fund the “Rip and Replace” program has passed the U.S. Senate. The legislation was included in the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which is expected to be signed into law. This bill will ensure providers in rural areas have the resources they need to implement the congressional directive to replace Chinese manufactured infrastructure in our telecommunications industry, helping protect Americans from espionage and service blackouts. Download Daines’ video statement HERE. “I am glad to see this commonsense legislation included

Daines, Pfluger Call on Congress to Fully Fund Rip and Replace Program

November 18, 2024

U.S. Senator Steve Daines and Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) led a letter urging Congress to pass the “Supporting National Security with Spectrum Act” to fully fund the Rip and Replace program. “It is estimated that there are over 6,000 sites across the United States in need of this funding. Without it, Chinese equipment will continue to pose a significant national security risk to the United States homeland. Additionally, several recipients of previously deployed funding would have to shut down their networks, leaving many rural and remote areas of the country without access to basic broadband services,” they wrote. Read the full

Daines Works to Connect Rural Montana

March 3, 2016

U.S. SENATE — Senator Steve Daines today worked to increase broadband service and improve reliable connectivity for rural Montanans. During two Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearings this week, Daines emphasized the need for reliable broadband service throughout rural America and successfully moved forward bipartisan solutions and ensure that rural communities are not left behind. On Wednesday, all five Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioners testified before the Commerce Committee. During the hearing, Daines called on the commissioners to ensure an equitable distribution of Universal Service funds to help close the connectivity gap between urban and rural areas, including tribal communities.

Daines Calls on FCC to Clarify Broadband Definition

January 22, 2016

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today led five of his Senate colleagues in urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to clarify their inconsistent and arbitrary definitions of broadband, which could detrimentally impact rural Montanans. The letter is also signed by Roger Wicker (MS), Roy Blunt (MO), Deb Fischer (NE), Ron Johnson (WI) and Cory Gardner (CO). The senators expressed their concerns that: The FCC’s arbitrary 25/3 Mbps benchmark speed does not reflect what most Americans consider broadband The use of this benchmark discourages providers from offering speeds at or above the benchmark The definition contradicts the broadband definition used in

Daines, Capito, King Call on FCC to Increase Transparency, Enforcement for Rural Broadband Funding

November 18, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senators Steve Daines (R-MT), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Angus King (I-ME) today urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to consider strict enforcement measures and increase transparency for the recently announced Connect America Fund funding. The FCC recently announced more than $1.5 billion in annual funding as part of the second phase of the Connect America Fund to expand and support broadband service in rural areas. “We believe strict enforcement measures, coupled with transparency around how, where, and when the funds are used are necessary to ensure the integrity of the [Connect America Fund] program and the success

Daines Introduces Legislation to Roll Back Red Tape for Small Businesses

November 16, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today introduced legislation to protect Montana small businesses from burdensome regulations found in the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) 317-page “net neutrality” rules. The Small Business Broadband Deployment Act of 2015 would make permanent a temporary exemption from the FCC’s new so-called “enhanced transparency requirements,” which would require Internet service providers to disclose an excess of information about their network performance, some of which may require hiring an engineer. Daines’ bill makes the temporary exemption permanent so that small businesses don’t have to comply with unnecessary and burdensome regulations that would cost small businesses time and money. “Burdensome

Daines Pushes to Expand Rural Broadband

October 28, 2015

Click here to watch Daines’ remarks. Click here to download Daines’ remarks. Senator Steve Daines today pushed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to close the gap in connectivity between rural and urban areas. Daines called on the FCC to expand connectivity in rural regions to minimize the divide that currently exists in delivery of broadband service. “Access to technology removes geography as a constraint and allows Montanans to start and grow world-class companies,” Daines stated. “But we still have a lot of issues to overcome to connect our unserved communities and the FCC plays a big role.” Last week, Daines

Daines Works to Secure Broadband for Rural Montanans

October 21, 2015

Senator Steve Daines today pressed U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development and Rural Utilities Service officials on the need for swift action to provide broadband for thousands of rural Montanans who currently are without service. During an Agriculture Appropriations hearing earlier this morning on “A review of Rural Development in 21st Century America,” Daines reaffirmed his commitment to the deployment of broadband to Montana’s rural and tribal communities and called on USDA leaders to take steps to ensure investments are actually being made in rural communities still lacking broadband service. “Not only does access to broadband connect rural Americans

Daines, Klobuchar, Gardner Introduce Legislation to Expand Broadband Infrastructure

October 8, 2015

Legislation would increase broadband deployment by cutting red tape for companies, states, and local governments that want to install broadband infrastructure on federal land and promotes the simultaneous installation of underground broadband conduit during the construction of federal transportation projects Yesterday the president of the Wireless Infrastructure Association announced his support for this important legislation at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senators Steve Daines (R-MT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Cory Gardner (R-CO) have introduced bipartisan legislation to expand broadband infrastructure. The Streamlining and Investing in Broadband Infrastructure Act would increase broadband deployment by cutting red tape for companies, states, and

Daines Fights to Give Montana Farmers Certainty in Federally Mandated Grain Inspections

July 16, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today fought to secure key provisions for Montana farmers and ranchers and provide farmers greater certainty in federally mandated grain inspections to protect against disruptions like those that occurred last summer at the Port of Vancouver. Daines successfully worked to include provisions addressing concerns voiced by Montana’s farmers and ranchers in the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2016, which was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee this morning by a vote of 28-2. “Montana’s hardworking farmers deserve certainty that their grain can get to market in a timely

Tag: Broadband