In the modern economy, a lack of high-speed internet is a significant barrier to education, healthcare, and economic growth. Many rural communities are at risk of being left behind because it is not profitable for big tech companies to build infrastructure in sparsely populated areas.

This bill matters because it maintains a specific tool the government uses to fill those gaps. Without reauthorization, the program could expire, leaving the most remote parts of the country without a dedicated source of funding to catch up to the digital standards of urban and suburban areas.