As a resident of Butler County, and with my dad still living on our family farm outside of town, I know about rural connectivity issues firsthand.

Team Estes,

As a resident of Butler County, and with my dad still living on our family farm outside of town, I know about rural connectivity issues firsthand. Whether it's in our homes, at work, in the tractor, or on our phones, the lack of access to high-speed internet is a detriment to some Kansans and holds back our rural communities.

That's why our Kansas Champion has been working to expand rural broadband in Kansas and across the country. His mom still lives on their century farm here in the Sunflower State, so he also knows the struggles that so many Kansans face. Ron understands that to achieve the American Dream, Kansans need broadband access – whether they're in Wichita, Winfield or Whitewater.

The recent public health crisis that resulted in Kansans working and studying from home has highlighted the need for reliable, high-speed internet access in rural areas. Even before the pandemic, businesses and schools in our rural areas haven't had access to the reliable high-speed internet they need for daily activities. The digital divide is further exacerbated as workplaces encourage virtual meetings and telework, schooling relies on digital communication, and patients and doctors participate in telehealth.

President Trump has made it a priority to work with Congress and the USDA on this issue. Because of that, Ron's made a lot of progress in improving rural broadband in Kansas and across the United States. He and his colleagues asked for better, more accurate maps of coverage, knowing that existing data hides the gaps we know exist in rural Kansas. He supported the inclusion of rural broadband provisions in the most recent Farm Bill, expanding the Rural Broadband Access Loan and Loan Guarantee Program to allow the use of grants, promoting collaboration between USDA, FCC, and NTIA (National Telecommunications and Information Administration), and prioritizing residents living in underserved areas.

In August, President Trump signed an Executive Order to expand telehealth and would also set up a task force to address broadband access in rural areas. Ron wrote about telehealth in a recent op-ed in the Eagle. ([link removed])

And in 2019, more than two dozen federal agencies set milestones for advancing broadband through the American Broadband Initiative. The goal – to reduce regulations and encourage investment – is already being recognized, with more than $744 million in grants awarded through USDA's ReConnect program as of their June progress report. In May, the USDA invested $71 million for broadband infrastructure in rural Kansas and Oklahoma as part of their ReConnect program. Locally, Butler Electric Coop has been leading the rural broadband expansion effort.

Unlike some candidates who just talk about the quality of life in rural Kansas and the joys and challenges that come with it, Ron actually understands our needs. He is committed to working with President Trump, his colleagues in Congress and leaders across the state to make a difference. It's one of the reasons he earned the endorsement of the Kansas Farm Bureau, as they also work to address this issue for farmers and ranchers in the state.

Ron's working to bring greater connectivity to Kansas and renew the American Dream. We need his continued leadership in Congress.

Onward to Victory 2020!

Debbie Luper
Campaign Manager

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