Baldwin, Blackburn Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Internet Access in Rural America
"We need to strengthen our internet infrastructure to better serve Middle America and rural communities, and improve the online experience for people in all parts of our country."
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced the bipartisan Internet Exchange (IX) Act (S. 1166) to help improve internet access for consumers, especially those in rural areas.
“We need to strengthen our internet infrastructure to better serve Middle America and rural communities, and improve the online experience for people in all parts of our country,” said Senator Baldwin. “This bipartisan measure will help expand broadband access across our country. By investing in our internet infrastructure and adding more internet exchanges in Wisconsin and throughout the heartland, we can help more rural households and rural businesses gain better access to high-speed internet.”
Internet Exchanges (IXs) are physical locations where networks come together – they allow subscribers of different internet service providers to communicate with one another. IXs also provide opportunities for content delivery networks (CDNs) and others to cache content closer to end-users, thus reducing latency and increasing network efficiency to improve the online experience for consumers, especially in rural areas.
IX facilities provide opportunities for data centers and cloud computing to be collocated at IX sites, thus increasing efficiency and boosting local economies. Currently, IXs are concentrated in big cities and in the coastal states.
This legislation authorizes matching grants to be administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to help establish new IX facilities where none exist, or to help an existing one expand.
It also permits eligible recipients under the E-Rate program (for schools and libraries) and Telehealth program to use available funding to contract with a broadband provider to obtain a connection to an IX facility, or to pay for the costs of maintaining a point of presence at an IX facility.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
Mentioned in This Press Release
Recent Press Releases by U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin
Baldwin, Ernst Lead Bipartisan Bill to Ensure Coverage for Children Born with Congenital Anomalies or Birth Defects
May 8th, 2025 by U.S. Sen. Tammy BaldwinBill comes after Wisconsin child was denied coverage and forced to pay out of pocket for medically necessary care to manage birth defect
Baldwin, Warren, Markey, Merkley Blast Trump Plan to Cut 988 Suicide and Crisis Line For LGBTQ+ Youth
May 7th, 2025 by U.S. Sen. Tammy BaldwinTrump cuts come as roughly 40 percent of LGBTQ+ young people reported seriously considering attempting suicide
Baldwin Introduces Bill to Give Tax Break to Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs
May 6th, 2025 by U.S. Sen. Tammy BaldwinBill increases startup tax deduction to $50,000 to give more small businesses the opportunity to grow and combat increasing cost of starting a company