The Internet and rural America

Through my work with the Science and Technology Committee as well as the Agriculture Committee, I have had the opportunity to examine issues concerning new communication technology and the impact the Internet can have on our communities.

Unfortunately, many rural states like Nebraska have seen a "brain drain" in recent years as our younger generation leaves for other areas of the United States. As the depletion occurs, we lose our most vital economic assets to more populated areas.

Broadband -- or high speed Internet access -- is one of the many tools we have to counter this brain drain.

As the Internet economy has matured, more web sites now require broadband access to handle higher data transmission rates, even for basic applications.

In the last few years, rural businesses and consumers have caught up with our urban counterparts when using the Internet -- with one major difference. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), broadband access is less prevalent in rural areas than in those more densely populated.

While an estimated 55 percent of U.S. adults had broadband access at home in 2008, only 41 percent of adults in rural households had access. The USDA also found rural counties which have had broadband access for some time had higher employment growth, and nonfarm private earnings were greater than counties without access.

Recognizing the importance of rural broadband access, I worked to reauthorize USDA's telemedicine, distance learning, and rural broadband access grant and loan programs. Through my work as co-chair of the Congressional Rural Caucus, I have joined with colleagues from both sides of the aisle to ensure rural communities have access to up-to-date broadband services and other important technologies.

Despite the popular misconception, the bandwidth which makes the Internet possible is not infinite. Think of it along the lines of irrigation pipes: each pipe can hold only so much water.

As the use of the Internet becomes more prevalent, network providers must innovate in order to accommodate the ever-increasing traffic. For example, in 2007 the popular video site YouTube used as much bandwidth as did the entire Internet in 2000. This has led to a new debate over "net neutrality" -- legislation which would establish broadband policies and require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to enact far stricter rules for private Internet service providers in managing their networks.

Under the proposal, the FCC also would be required to regulate the marketing of Internet providers' products. Proponents of net neutrality state they are only trying to minimize the barriers to entry by ensuring market leaders cannot block smaller rivals' access to consumers through exclusive deals. Detractors worry net neutrality could lead to slow connections due to a small percentage of individuals using a vast majority of the available bandwidth.

The broadband market is dynamic, and I fear new FCC regulations could hamper this growth. These regulations also would serve to reduce the vital capital investments required to expand the nation's broadband networks by limiting the ability of providers to ensure a quality experience for their customers.

Sparsely populated rural areas already have difficulty attracting broadband service providers. As an example, few telecommunication companies sought stimulus funding to expand rural broadband. Increasing federal regulations may further discourage private sector investment from taking part in rural broadband development.

To combat brain drain in Nebraska, we have to take pride in our heritage while at the same time making the most of new opportunities. Technology is changing and advancing every day, and it is essential rural Americans have the resources they need to successfully compete in today's high tech world for tomorrow's high tech economy.