PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen has announced he will reintroduce two bills that will expand access to affordable high speed internet.
The Rural Broadband Assistance Act and the ReConnecting Rural America Act aim to make affordable high-speed internet across not only Illinois but the country as a whole more accessible, said Britany Hardaway, the Rockford Democrat’s spokesperson.
“Every hometown in Illinois deserves the necessary tools to stay connected and grow,” said Sorensen. “Whether it’s helping our neighbors get the support they need to apply for broadband funding or strengthening programs that bring faster internet to places that need it most, these bills are about making sure rural America isn’t left behind.”
The goal of the Rural Broadband Assistance Act bill is to make it easier for small towns, local governments, non-profits and rural businesses to receive expert support when they apply for broadband funding, Hardaway said.
The ReConnecting Rural America Act will strengthen and reauthorize the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s ReConnect Program, which looks to improve internet service speed requirements and ensure that communities most in need are prioritized for funding, she said.
Sorensen has been a representative of Illinois’ 17th congressional district, which is made up of an area that includes Rockford, Peoria, Bloomington and the Illinois side of the Quad Cities, since 2023, according to his website.
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