(DES MOINES) - Iowa Gov. Terry E. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today applauded the Iowa House of Representatives for passing House File 641, a bill that aims to connect every acre of Iowa to high-speed broadband Internet. The bill passed 89-5.
"We began calling for broadband legislation last year because our administration understands that if we are to continue to grow jobs and increase incomes we must ensure that ever acre of Iowa is connected with high-speed broadband," said Branstad. "I applaud the Iowa House for passing the broadband Internet bill with strong bipartisan support and look forward to working with the Senate on the measure in the coming weeks."
"It's clear from today's vote that the Iowa House of Representatives shares our view that high-speed broadband will connect agriculture and equipment through rural fiber, schools to online resources and businesses to the global marketplace," said Reynolds. "We appreciate today's vote of confidence from the Iowa House for this innovative proposal."
In January, Gov. Branstad called for the passage of his "Connect Every Acre" broadband bill in the Condition of the State address by stating, "The fabric of our state is woven together by the gravel roads and the interstate system, but in this day and age it also must be connected through access to broadband as well. This legislative session, let's come together and pass legislation allowing rural Iowa to experience continued growth and connection to the rest of Iowa and the rest of the world."
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