Committee Activity

The Committee on Small Business Subcommittee on Contracting and Infrastructure will meet for a hearing titled, “Broadband Mapping: Small Carrier Perspectives on a Path Forward.” The hearing is scheduled to begin at 10:00 A.M. on Tuesday, June 25, 2019 in Room 2360 of the Rayburn House Office Building.

Access to reliable high speed broadband is a critical issue for small businesses, especially in rural communities that are still unserved.  However, more accurate broadband maps are needed to direct federal funds to small rural carriers who seek to serve the most remote parts of America.  Improved granularity and an opportunity for communities to challenge the accuracy of broadband maps are needed to build broadband networks out to the 19 million Americans on the dark side of the digital divide. At the hearing, Members will hear from a diverse group of small rural carriers about the current challenges of broadband mapping and explore ways that the federal government and private sector can work together to collect more accurate broadband coverage data.

Mr. Tim Donovan
Senior Vice President, Legislative Affairs
Competitive Carriers Association
Washington, DC 
Testimony 

Mr. Dan Stelpflug
Director, Operations, Engineering & Technology
Allamakee Clayton Electric Cooperative
Postville, IA 
*Testifying on behalf of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
Testimony

Ms. Beth Osler
Director, Customer and Industry Relations 
UniTel, Inc. 
Unity, ME
*Testifying on behalf of the NTCA—The Rural Broadband Association
Testimony 

Mr. Jason Hendricks
Chief Regulatory Officer
Range Companies
Forsyth, MT 
*Testifying on behalf of the WTA —Advocates for Rural Broadband
Testimony