North Georgia Congressman Doug Collins has introduced legislation to ensure broadband accountability and oversight.
Collins commented about the legislation, “For years, Northeast Georgians have consistently struggled to gain access to reliable broadband speeds. Congress has taken significant steps toward expanding rural broadband infrastructure in recent years, including securing federal funding to providers in rural areas. However, some carriers particularly in Northeast Georgia have failed to provide adequate broadband speeds to consumers despite collecting taxpayer dollars. ”
Rep. Collins also said, “Improving broadband access and increasing reliability continues to be a top priority, which is why the CAF Accountability Act is the first bill I’m introducing this Congress. This legislation institutes specific tools to hold providers accountable for accurate reporting while ensuring households and businesses throughout our rural communities have access to the broadband services required to compete in the 21st-century economy.”
Last May, Rep. Collins and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai hosted a forum with stakeholders across Northeast Georgia to address the challenges of delivering accessible and affordable internet access to rural communities. That followed the introduction of the Gigabit Opportunity Act in 2017 to promote broadband development in rural and economically disadvantaged areas.
