WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) today voted in support of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, also known as the farm bill. The legislation includes two measures she introduced to improve access to rural broadband and to address wastewater challenges faced by rural communities. It passed the Senate by an 86-11 vote.
“Not only will the farm bill help support and provide certainty for our farmers and ranchers, but it will also help improve the lives of those living in rural states like West Virginia. Our rural communities are too often left behind when it comes to things like technology and infrastructure that more urban communities take for granted. That’s why I was excited to secure a measure in this bill to help expand access to broadband in areas that need it most, as well as a provision that will deliver resources necessary to provide wastewater systems to those living without this critical infrastructure. Through efforts like the farm bill and others, I will continue working to deliver solutions that will help the many individuals and families who call Rural America home.”
BACKGROUND
The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 includes a provision based on Senator Capito’s Broadband Connections for Rural Opportunities Program (B-CROP) Act. The legislation, which she introduced in August 2017, would make grant funding available for rural broadband projects in high-need areas to be awarded in combination with the current loan funding available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Utilities Service. More information is available here.
Another provision included in the farm bill is based on Senator Capito’s Residential Decentralized Wastewater Improvement Act. Introduced in April 2018, this legislation would establish a new program to provide grants to low- and moderate-income households for connecting homes to existing wastewater infrastructure or installing or upgrading individually-owned decentralized wastewater systems. More information is available here.
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