Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced today the National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA) will provide Kentucky with more than $5.8 million to fund broadband development.
Senator McConnell helped secure this funding by supporting the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which established the two programs that will provide today’s grant. Senator McConnell led the IIJA to Senate passage last year and the President signed the bill into law last November. That legislation will give Kentucky billions of dollars over five years to improve the Commonwealth’s roads, bridges, railroads, riverports, airports, broadband, and more.
Today’s grant will help Kentucky’s state government develop a broadband improvement plan that addresses existing gaps in the Commonwealth’s internet coverage. Currently, many Kentuckians – especially those living in rural areas – lack access to affordable, reliable broadband. These planning funds will help the Commonwealth develop a strategy that ensures all Kentuckians are covered before the state receives additional IIJA broadband funding to expand high-speed capacity.
“Our economy is increasingly driven by access to the internet and rural America is no different. For too many rural Kentuckians, though, broadband access is expensive or, for many, unavailable,” said Senator McConnell. “I supported the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in part because it promises to make landmark investments in the Commonwealth’s rural broadband capacity. Today’s grant announcement is the first step to bringing affordable, reliable digital access to every corner of our state.”