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  "description": "Asks for 'flexibility’ in administering broadband programs.",
  "path": "/governors-call-on-congress-to-prioritize-broadband-deployment/",
  "publishedAt": "2025-07-29T19:48:52.000Z",
  "site": "https://broadbandbreakfast.com",
  "tags": [
    "_a letter_",
    "_****There's a whole community behind your FREE membership...****_",
    "There's a whole community behind your FREE membership...",
    "_to fund_",
    "_both_",
    "_and_",
    "_now discontinued_",
    "_have urged_",
    "_as much leeway_",
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  "textContent": "WASHINGTON, July 29, 2025 – The National Governor’s Association has called on Congress to prioritize funding broadband efforts in Fiscal Year 2026.\n\nIn _a letter_ to leaders of the House and Senate’s Committee on Appropriations, the NGA emphasized the need to preserve flexibility within federal broadband programs.\n\n“Internet access is essential for telehealth, accessing education and workforce development programs, and connecting the 21st century economy,” the group said. “We strongly support the flexibility of federal programs to achieve the diverse needs of states as they deploy broadband capabilities.”\n\n\n\n_****There's a whole community behind your FREE membership...****_\n\n There's a whole community behind your FREE membership... \n\nWritten by Govs.**Andy Beshear** , D-Ky., and **Henry McMaster** , R-S.C., the letter outlined eleven priorities that the NGA wanted leaders of the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations to focus on. Many of those priorities were focused on infrastructure, environmental management, and economic development.\n\nThis is the third consecutive year that the NGA’s Economic Development and Revitalization Task Force has asked Congress to include broadband funding as a priority. Though similar to past requests, this most recent letter differs from the others in two important respects.\n\nFirst, while the NGA asked Congress _to fund_ the Affordable Connectivity Program in _both_ FY24 _and_ FY25, it dropped any reference to the _now discontinued_ program in FY26.\n\nSecond, while past letters reiterated the Association's support for a wide range of Federal programs, the most recent letter was the first to call for flexibility in those programs. State leaders across the country _have urged_ the federal government to give them _as much leeway_ as possible when administering broadband programs generally, and the Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment Program _in particular_.\n\nThe NGA is a bipartisan organization whose members include governors from each of the 50 states and five territories. Led by Govs. **Kevin Stitt** , R-Okla., and **Wes Moore** , D-Md., the organization has sought to foster collaboration among the nation’s governors since 1908.\n\nBeshear and McMaster’s letter was sent Saturday to leaders of the Senate and House Committees on Appropriations. At least two of those leaders: Sens. **Susan Collins** , R-Maine, and **Patty Murray** , D-Wash., _have previously_ expressed _support_ for funding broadband programs.",
  "title": "Governors Call on Congress to Prioritize Broadband Deployment",
  "updatedAt": "2026-03-11T05:48:55.388Z"
}