I come from a town of approximately 300 people, in an area that has limited access to high quality telecommunication services. Given that personal experience, I understand firsthand the frustration of living with limited access to telecommunications services. This has caused many rural communities to become disadvantaged, particularly as our nation has grown more dependent on technology.

Rural broadband is an issue that is of critical importance to many parts of the 3^rd District. Broadband coverage is utilized by students to complete classroom assignments, for small businesses to thrive in an increasingly competitive marketplace, and for health providers to perform the tasks they need to accomplish.

As Vice Chair of the House Small Business Committee, I take every opportunity to raise awareness of the impact Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reforms have on telecommunication providers, small businesses, and Missouri families.

In addition to access to reliable Internet, another issue that has been brought to my attention is in regards to telephone calls either not going through or not completed in rural areas. This lack of call completion disproportionately impacts rural areas and is a risk to the safety and well-being of many Americans that live there. Earlier this year, the House passed the Improving Rural Call Quality and Reliability Act which requires intermediate providers to register with the FCC and comply with the service quality standards set by the agency to improve call quality from long distance or wireless calls in rural areas throughout the country. This legislation takes the first step in fixing this serious issue so consumers can expect a higher level of call reliability and quality.

I meet regularly with small, rural telecommunications providers throughout the State to hear what the House of Representatives and the FCC can do to meet their needs and ensure consumers are getting the best products and coverage available. At the end of the day, we cannot allow rural America to get left behind when it comes to broadband.  We must ensure that our nation’s 21^st Century advancements, that urban areas consider common, are also available in our rural areas. I will continue to work with my colleagues to find solutions to ensure that each and every American has access to the broadband services they need and deserve.