Broadband Archives - Senator Steve Daines

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

Senators Call on Commerce, Ag Secretaries to Prioritize Broadband Access for Rural Americans

June 8, 2015

Daines, Manchin, King lead bipartisan effort to ensure high-speed broadband for rural communities WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senators Steve Daines (R-MT), Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Angus King (I-ME) today led a bipartisan effort to ensure the federal government prioritizes high-speed broadband access for rural Americans. In a bipartisan letter signed by more than a dozen Senators, the Senators pressed Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Co-Chairs of the Broadband Opportunity Council, for a detailed analysis of the various federal broadband initiatives that can be coordinated across agencies to bridge the digital divide and bring rural America into the

Daines Fights for Tribal Needs at Three Senate Hearings

March 11, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today fought for Montana’s tribes, pressing Obama administration witnesses on the responsible stewardship of federal funds to benefit tribal housing, health services and public safety. During three different Senate Committee hearings today, Daines called on witnesses to ensure that federal dollars intended for Montana’s tribes are being properly allocated to help tribal members on Montana’s reservations, rather than being misused or creating bureaucratic waste. Daines sought to rein in exorbitant administrative costs at Indian Health Service (IHS), ensure efficient allocation of tribal housing resources and address the communications challenges facing first responders on reservations and

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